Guide wire support mechanism, guide wire shaping device, and guide wire shaping method

Abstract

To provide a guide wire support mechanism that allows a user to shape the tip portion of a fine-diameter guide wire without deforming unintended parts, a guide wire shaping device having the guide wire support mechanism and a guide wire shaping method using the guide wire shaping device.SOLUTION: A guide wire support mechanism comprises: a main body 52 that includes a rotary body mounting space 52b recessed on a top surface 52a; and a rotary body 53 which has an end surface 53a that is nearly flush with the top surface, is rotatably and pivotally mounted in the rotary body mounting space, and has an arcuate peripheral edge 53b centered around an axial center C1 of pivotally-mounting on the end surface, in which a first groove 54 is formed on the end surface along part or all of the peripheral edge, and which has a clamp section 55 capable of holding a portion of the guide wire. The tip of the guide wire moves following the rotation of the rotary body around the axial center.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 36

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a guidewire support mechanism, a guidewire shaping device, and a guidewire shaping method, and in particular to a guidewire support mechanism having a groove into which a guidewire fits loosely and supporting the guidewire, a guidewire shaping device that shapes the guidewire by inserting the tip of the guidewire into a shaping section that communicates with the groove, and a guidewire shaping method using the guidewire shaping device. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there is a guidewire shaping tool that is configured to insert the tip of a thin guidewire into the opening of an entrance passage and then press the tip protruding from the entrance passage against a mold with the fingers to shape it into the desired shape (Patent Document 1).

[0003] A guidewire is a flexible, thin-diameter wire-like device, such as a catheter introducer, that facilitates insertion and placement in a blood vessel. By using a guidewire shaper to shape the tip of the guidewire, the risk of the guidewire damaging the inner wall of the patient's blood vessel is reduced. In addition, since mechanical shaping using the guidewire shaper does not require a heat treatment process or a chemical treatment process, the user can perform the shaping process in a medical setting, such as an operating room, and does not need to choose a place to work. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2014-68965 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] It is desirable for such guidewires to be formed as thin as possible, as long as they have sufficient strength so as to be inserted into the blood vessels of the human body and not damage the inner walls of the blood vessels. However, when a user shapes the tip of such a thin guidewire, the user must be extremely careful not to deform unintended parts of the guidewire during shaping, which may cause the guidewire to not move smoothly inside the blood vessel during use. In addition, there is a risk that unnecessary parts will be deformed during the handling stage, such as when feeding a thin guidewire into a narrow area for shaping or moving it inside the narrow area, making it impossible to continue handling it thereafter.

[0006] In view of such problems, the present invention aims to provide a guidewire support mechanism that prevents a user from deforming unintended parts when handling a guidewire, as well as a guidewire shaping device equipped with such a guidewire support mechanism and a guidewire shaping method using this guidewire shaping device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] (1) The present invention provides a guidewire support mechanism having a groove into which a guidewire fits loosely and capable of supporting the guidewire, comprising: a main body having a rotating body mounting space recessed into a top surface; and a rotating body having an end face that is approximately flush with the top surface and rotatably attached to the rotating body mounting space, the end face having an arc-shaped periphery centered on the axis of the attachment, a first groove formed on the end face to follow part or all of the periphery, and having a clamp portion capable of clamping a part of the guidewire, wherein the tip of the guidewire moves as the rotating body rotates about the axis.

[0008] That is, in order to support a thin-diameter guidewire, the guidewire loosely fitted in the first groove is clamped by the clamps while the rotating body rotates the clamps and the first groove together. In this way, the guidewire is kept in the first groove, so that the entire guidewire, a portion of which is clamped by the clamps, can be moved as it is with the rotation of the rotating body. At this time, the guidewire is hardly subjected to force from any portion other than the clamps, so the guidewire support mechanism of the present invention is less likely to deform an unintended portion when the user moves the guidewire.

[0009] In addition, because the portion in which the guidewire fits is the groove, by releasing the clamp, the guidewire can be removed from the groove and separated from the guidewire support mechanism of the present invention. In this way, no unnecessary force is applied to the guidewire, and there is little possibility of unintended deformation of parts when removing the guidewire.

[0010] (2) Furthermore, the first groove portion may have a bottom wall, an inner side wall which is the side wall closer to the axis, and an outer side wall which is the side wall farther from the axis, the bottom wall being formed by a lower step portion formed on the periphery, the inner side wall being erected from the step portion, and the outer side wall being formed by the inner surface of the rotating body mounting space.

[0011] That is, since the outer side wall of the first groove portion is formed by the inner circumferential surface of the rotor mounting space of the main body, the guidewire is released radially outward of the rotor at a portion of the entire inner circumferential surface where the inner circumferential surface separates from the arc-shaped periphery of the rotor. The released tip of the guidewire then exits the periphery and can proceed to the section where shaping is performed. In this way, the guidewire support mechanism of the present invention does not deform the guidewire until immediately before shaping, and allows the guidewire to proceed to the shaping section with a simple structure.

[0012] Incidentally, some guidewires have a flat core wire inside to ensure their robustness. Figure 1 shows examples of guidewires with such flat core wires, with Fig. 1(a) showing an example of a guidewire in which a resin plastic jacket covers a metal core wire, and Fig. 1(b) showing an example of a guidewire in which a coil is wound around the core wire. Examples of materials for the metal core wire include stainless steel, and examples of materials for the plastic jacket include polytetrafluoroethylene.

[0013] In the case of a guidewire having such a flat core wire, the ease of bending the guidewire varies depending on the relationship between the bending direction of the guidewire and the longitudinal or transverse direction of the cross section of the corewire. Specifically, when the transverse direction of the corewire in the cross section coincides with the up-down direction as shown in the upper diagram of FIG. 2(a), that is, when the longitudinal direction and the bending direction of the guidewire are the same as shown in the lower diagram of FIG. 2(a), the guidewire is difficult to bend left and right, and a large force must be applied to bend it. Conversely, when the longitudinal direction of the corewire in the cross section coincides with the up-down direction as shown in the upper diagram of FIG. 2(b), that is, when the transverse direction and the bending direction of the guidewire are the same as shown in the lower diagram of FIG. 2(b), the guidewire is easier to bend left and right than in the case of FIG. 2(a). In FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b), the guidewire is represented by the symbol W, and the corewire is represented by the symbol C.

[0014] In contrast, for example, the plastic jacket is often colored, and it is difficult to determine the longitudinal or transverse direction of the core wire in the cross section just by looking at the guide wire from the outside. Even if the direction of the core wire can be determined, there is a risk of unnecessarily deforming the guide wire when trying to correct the direction. Therefore, when inserting the guide wire into the guide wire shaper to shape the tip, if the core wire happens to be arranged in a direction that makes it easy to bend the guide wire as shown in Figure 2(b), the shaping process is easy, but if the core wire is arranged in a direction that makes it difficult to bend the guide wire as shown in Figure 2(a), the shaping process is inefficient and it may not be possible to shape the guide wire into a desired shape. Thus, a situation occurs in which the difficulty of shaping the guide wire and the quality of the shaping vary depending on the direction of the core wire.

[0015] Since the outer side wall is a side wall far from the axis of the first groove portion along a circular arc, the guide wire, which is originally formed in a substantially straight shape, is likely to slide against the outer side wall while advancing inside the first groove portion in an attempt to maintain its original straight shape. In this case, when the guide wire support mechanism is arranged so that the axis of the rotor is vertical, for example, the guide wire can rotate 90° while advancing inside the first groove portion to assume a cross-sectional position as shown in FIG. 2(b) by moving along the outer side wall. As a result, the guide wire support mechanism of the present invention can advance the guide wire into the shaped section while correcting the guide wire to a more appropriate position.

[0016] (3) The main body may have a second groove portion recessed into the top surface and branching outwardly from the periphery in the radial direction of the rotating body, the first groove portion and the second groove portion being connected to each other, the outer side wall being continuous with an inner wall of the second groove portion, and a portion of the guide wire loosely fitted into the first groove portion may move through the second groove portion as the rotating body rotates.

[0017] That is, since the second groove is continuously connected to the first groove, the guidewire can move between the first and second grooves. Then, when the tip of the second groove is connected to the section that defines the guidewire, the tip of the guidewire can pass through the second groove and advance to this section without getting caught. The same is true when the guidewire is retracted backward from this section.

[0018] At this time, because the second groove branches out radially outward and the outer side wall of the first groove and the inner wall of the second groove are continuous, the tip of the guidewire that has been sliding against the outer side wall in an attempt to maintain its original substantially straight shape can enter the second groove without passing through any gaps on the way. In this way, the guidewire support device of the present invention can suppress the forces that the guidewire inside it receives from the surroundings, and is less likely to cause unintended deformation of parts.

[0019] (4) Furthermore, the rotating body may have a third groove portion that extends radially inward from the first groove portion on the side opposite the second groove portion and is connected to the first groove portion, the clamp portion is formed in a flattened shape in the axial direction of the rotating body and can rotate around a pivot axis parallel to the axis, and the guide wire may be clamped between the clamping surface of the rotating clamp portion and an inner wall of the third groove portion that faces the clamping surface.

[0020] That is, the guidewire is loosely fitted in the third groove, which allows the guidewire to be clamped by the clamp, the first groove along the arc-shaped periphery, and the second groove branching outward in the radial direction from the periphery. The tip of the guidewire can advance through the second groove by the rotation of the rotor while being clamped by the clamp. The guidewire can also be reversed through the guidewire support mechanism by rotating in the reverse direction.

[0021] At this time, since the third groove portion is located on the radially inner side of the rotor, even when the clamp portion pinches the guide wire between the inner wall of the third groove portion, the guide wire is pinched between the clamp portion and the inner wall of the third groove portion, not between the clamp portion and the inner circumferential surface of the rotor mounting space. As a result, the force transmitted from the clamp portion to the guide wire does not directly act on the inner circumferential surface, and the friction between the guide wire and the inner circumferential surface is not increased. In addition, the friction does not increase the load on the rotation of the rotor. Due to this structure, the guide wire is not significantly damaged by friction. In addition, due to this structure, the guide wire can be firmly clamped while maintaining a smooth rotational motion for moving the guide wire. As a result, the possibility of deformation of unnecessary parts for moving the guide wire can be reduced.

[0022] In addition, because the clamp portion is formed flat, the space required for the structure to clamp the guide wire in the axial direction can be reduced. Furthermore, because the clamp portion rotates around the pivot to clamp the guide wire, the guide wire can be moved with a simple structure.

[0023] (5) The container may further include a lid that can be opened and closed to cover at least a portion of the top surface and the end surface, including each of the grooves, and the lid may be configured so that an inner surface of the lid covers each of the grooves.

[0024] That is, because each groove is covered by the inner surface of the lid, when the lid is closed, it is possible to prevent the guidewire from floating up or jumping out of each groove. Therefore, when moving the guidewire, there is little possibility that the guidewire will create waves or jump out and bend, and there is little risk of unintended deformation of parts.

[0025] Moreover, because the cover can be opened and closed freely, when the cover is in the open state, the guidewire can be removed from the groove and separated from the guidewire support mechanism of the present invention, thus reducing the possibility of unintended deformation of parts when removing the guidewire.

[0026] (6) The rotating body may be capable of rotating in a normal or reverse direction, and the tip of the guide wire may be capable of moving forward or backward in accordance with the normal or reverse rotation of the rotating body.

[0027] In other words, the guidewire support mechanism of the present invention can both advance and retreat the tip of the guidewire by switching between forward and reverse rotation of the rotor, so that the user can easily advance and retreat the tip of the guidewire to be shaped simply by switching between forward and reverse rotation according to convenience when shaping the guidewire. Therefore, there is little risk of unintended deformation of parts of the guidewire due to unnecessary force being applied by fingers when handling the guidewire.

[0028] (7) The rotating body may be provided with a drive unit and may be capable of rotating in both forward and reverse directions, and the tip of the guide wire may be capable of moving forward and backward in accordance with the forward or reverse rotation of the rotating body.

[0029] In other words, the guidewire support mechanism of the present invention can stop, advance, and retreat the tip of the guidewire by stopping or rotating and rotating forward or backward the drive device without the user's manual operation. Therefore, the guidewire support mechanism of the present invention allows the user to easily perform the work of shaping the guidewire. In addition, the series of operations for shaping the guidewire can be automated by automatically operating the drive device.

[0030] (8) The present invention provides a guidewire shaping device having a groove portion into which a guidewire fits loosely and a shaping portion which is a flat space, and configured such that the tip of the guidewire after passing through the groove portion enters the shaping portion which communicates with the groove portion and shapes the guidewire by conforming to the inner surface of the shaping portion, the device comprising: a main body having a top surface on which the shaping portion and a rotating body mounting space are recessed, and a rotating body having an end surface which is approximately flush with the top surface, which is rotatably attached to the rotating body mounting space, which has an arc-shaped periphery centered on its axis, a first groove portion formed on the end surface along part or all of the periphery and communicating with the shaping portion, and which has a clamp portion capable of clamping a part of the guidewire, and the guidewire advances and retreats relative to the shaping portion as the rotating body rotates about the axis.

[0031] That is, in order to shape a thin-diameter guidewire, the guidewire loosely fitted in the first groove is clamped by the clamps while the rotating body rotates the clamps and the first groove. In this way, the guidewire is kept in the first groove, so that the entire guidewire, a portion of which is clamped by the clamps, can be moved as it is with the rotation of the rotating body. Thus, the guidewire shaping device of the present invention is less likely to deform unintended portions when the user shapes the guidewire in the shaping section.

[0032] In addition, because the guidewire fits into the groove, the guidewire can be removed from the groove by releasing the clamp, and can be released from the guidewire shaping device of the present invention. Therefore, there is little possibility of deforming unintended parts when removing the shaped guidewire.

[0033] (9) The main body may have a second groove portion recessed into the top surface and branching outward from the periphery in the radial direction of the rotor, the first groove portion and the second groove portion being connected to each other, an outer side wall which is the inner surface of the rotor mounting space and the side surface of the first groove portion farther from the axis center is continuous with the inner wall of the second groove portion, and the guide wire loosely fitted in the first groove portion has a portion thereof moving through the second groove portion as the rotor rotates, and the tip of the guide wire may enter the shaping portion which is connected to the second groove portion.

[0034] That is, since the second groove portion branches out from the periphery of the rotor, the guide wire can move between the first groove portion along the periphery and the second groove portion. The tip of the guide wire can then pass through the second groove portion and proceed without getting caught up to the shaping portion that is connected to these groove portions. The same is true when the guide wire retreats backward from the shaping portion.

[0035] At this time, because the second groove branches out radially outward and the outer side wall of the first groove is continuous with the inner wall of the second groove, the tip of the guidewire that slides along the outer side wall of the first groove in an attempt to maintain its original linear shape can enter the second groove without passing through any gaps on the way. In this way, the guidewire shaping device of the present invention can suppress the forces that the guidewire inside it receives from the surroundings, and is less likely to cause unintended deformation of parts.

[0036] (10) The rotating body may be provided with a drive unit and may be rotated by the drive unit, and may be capable of rotating in both forward and reverse directions, and the tip of the guide wire may be capable of moving forward and backward in accordance with the forward or reverse rotation of the rotating body.

[0037] In other words, the guidewire shaping device of the present invention can stop, advance, and retreat the tip of the guidewire by stopping or rotating the drive device and rotating it forward or backward without the user's manual operation. Therefore, the guidewire shaping device of the present invention allows the user to easily shape the guidewire. In addition, the series of operations for shaping the guidewire can be automated by automatically operating the drive device.

[0038] (11) The present invention includes a guidewire support mechanism, and includes an inlet passage portion which is a substantially columnar space through which a tip end of a guidewire supported by the guidewire support mechanism is inserted into an opening to pass the guidewire therethrough; a shaping portion which is a space that communicates with the inlet passage portion through an outlet portion which is the innermost portion of the inlet passage portion and spreads flatly from the outlet portion; an annular inner wall which forms an inner circumferential portion of the shaping portion; an extension line intersection portion which is an inner wall that intersects with an extension line of the center line of the inlet passage portion at an obtuse angle; and an inner wall that extends from the outlet portion to the extension line intersection portion and is The present invention provides a guidewire shaping device comprising: an obtuse-angle side inner wall portion, which is an inner wall on the side that forms an obtuse angle with the extension line; and an acute-angle side inner wall portion, which is an inner wall from the exit portion to the extension line intersection portion and which is an inner wall on the side that forms an acute angle with the extension line; and a guidewire shaping tool configured such that as the guidewire is fed through the opening, the tip thereof, which is inserted sequentially into the entrance passage portion and the shaping portion, abuts near the extension line intersection portion, and at this abutment, the tip thereof bends toward the side that forms the obtuse angle and slides along the obtuse-angle side inner wall portion so that the entirety is arranged in a circular shape.

[0039] The present inventors have found that when the tip of the guidewire supported by the guidewire support mechanism and inserted into the opening of the guidewire shaper hits the vicinity of the intersection of the extension lines and slides along the inner wall while bending at an obtuse angle, even if the flat core wire inside the guidewire is located in a position as shown in FIG. 2(a) with the longitudinal direction of the cross section of the core wire being substantially the same as the bending direction of the guidewire, the guidewire rotates 90° around its central axis, and have completed the present invention. As a result of the rotation, the short side direction of the cross section of the core wire and the bending direction of the guidewire become the same, so that the guidewire is easier to bend than before the rotation. In addition, the inventors have found that even if the longitudinal direction of the cross section of the core wire and the bending direction of the guidewire are not the same but form an angle of 90° or less, the guidewire rotates by an angle of 90° or less. As a result of the rotation, the short side direction of the cross section of the core wire and the bending direction of the guidewire become the same, so that the guidewire is easier to bend than before the rotation.

[0040] In this way, regardless of the direction of the core wire inside the guidewire supported by the guidewire support mechanism, the guidewire can change its posture so that it becomes easier to bend by hitting the vicinity of the intersection of the extension lines and sliding along the inner wall. Therefore, the guidewire shaping tool of the present invention can provide uniform ease of shaping the guidewire and uniform shaping quality. Also, the guidewire is less likely to be deformed in unintended areas.

[0041] (12) The present invention also provides a guide wire passing through a generally columnar space, the second groove portion being in communication with the first groove portion, the shaped portion being in communication with the second groove portion through an outlet portion which is the deepest portion of the second groove portion and spreading out flat from the outlet portion, an annular inner wall forming an inner circumferential portion of the shaped portion, an extension line intersection portion which is an inner wall intersecting an extension line of a center line of the second groove portion at an obtuse angle, and an inner wall extending from the outlet portion to the extension line intersection portion. the guide wire may have an obtuse-angle side inner wall portion which is a wall and which is an inner wall on the side that forms an obtuse angle with the extension line, and an acute-angle side inner wall portion which is an inner wall from the exit portion to the extension line intersection portion and which is an inner wall on the side that forms an acute angle with the extension line, and the guide wire may be configured so that the tip, which is inserted sequentially through the second groove portion and the shaping portion, abuts near the extension line intersection portion, and at this abutment, the tip bends toward the side that forms the obtuse angle and slides along the obtuse-angle side inner wall portion, so that the entire guide wire is arranged in a ring shape.

[0042] That is, since the second groove portion communicates with the first groove portion and the shaping portion communicates with the second groove portion, the guidewire passes through a passage that directly communicates from the first groove portion to the shaping portion. Therefore, for example, there is little risk that the guidewire will deviate from the passage along the way. Also, there is little risk that the guidewire will deform in an unintended portion.

[0043] (13) The present invention is a guidewire shaping device, comprising: a second groove portion which is a substantially columnar space through which the guidewire passes and which communicates with the first groove portion; a shaping portion which communicates with the second groove portion through an outlet portion which is the innermost portion of the second groove portion and which spreads flat from the outlet portion; an annular inner wall which forms an inner circumferential portion of the shaping portion; an extension line intersection portion which is an inner wall that intersects with an extension line of a center line of the second groove portion at an obtuse angle; and an inner wall that extends from the outlet portion to the extension line intersection portion and which forms an obtuse angle with the extension line. the tip of the guidewire, which is inserted sequentially through the second groove portion and the shaping portion, abuts near the extension line intersection portion and, at this abutment, bends toward the obtuse angle side while sliding along the obtuse angle side inner wall portion, so that the entire guidewire is arranged in a circular shape.

[0044] That is, by the guidewire shaping method of the present invention, regardless of the direction of the core wire inside the guidewire, the guidewire can change its posture so that it becomes easier to bend by hitting the vicinity of the intersection of the extension lines and sliding along the inner wall. Therefore, the guidewire shaping tool of the present invention can provide uniform ease of shaping the guidewire and uniform shaping quality. Also, there is little risk of the guidewire being deformed in an unintended portion. Effect of the Invention

[0045] As described above, the present invention aims to provide a guidewire support mechanism that allows a user to handle the guidewire without deforming unintended parts, to provide a guidewire shaping device that is equipped with such a guidewire support mechanism and can shape the guidewire without deforming unintended parts, and to provide a guidewire shaping method that uses such a guidewire support device and can shape the guidewire without deforming unintended parts. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0046] [Figure 1] (a) The left image shows a cross section of a guidewire with a plastic jacket around a core wire, and the right image shows the same guidewire in longitudinal section. (b) The left image shows a cross section of a guidewire with a coil wound around a core wire, and the right image shows the same guidewire in side view. [Diagram 2] (a) The upper figure shows a cross section of a guidewire when the longitudinal direction of the core wire is the same as the bending direction of the guidewire, and the lower figure shows the same longitudinal section of the guidewire. (b) The upper figure shows a cross section of a guidewire when the transverse direction of the core wire is the same as the bending direction of the guidewire, and the lower figure shows the same longitudinal section of the guidewire. [Diagram 3] (a) A plan view of the guidewire support mechanism according to the first embodiment of the present invention. This figure is also a plan view of the above-mentioned guidewire support mechanism when the transparent cover is closed. (b) A-A cross-sectional view of the above-mentioned guidewire support mechanism. (c) A-A cross-sectional view of the above-mentioned guidewire support mechanism when the transparent cover is closed. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the guidewire support mechanism according to the first embodiment of the present invention, showing the opaque lid in a closed state. [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the cross-sectional view of FIG. 3(c) showing the vicinity of the guide wire. [Figure 6]3(a) shows the guidewire support mechanism shown in the plan view of FIG. 3(a) rotated clockwise in a plan view, and FIG. 3(b) shows a BB cross-sectional view of the above-mentioned guidewire support mechanism with the transparent cover closed. [Figure 7] 4(b) shows an enlarged plan view of the vicinity of the clamp unit mounting space of the rotating body shown in the plan view of FIG. 3(a). [Figure 8] FIG. 4 is a plan view of the guidewire support mechanism shown in FIG. 3(a), showing the guidewire support mechanism in a state where the rotor is rotated counterclockwise while the guidewire is held by the clamp portion. [Figure 9] 4(a) is a cross-sectional view of the guidewire in the first groove of the guidewire support mechanism shown in FIG. 3, showing a state in which the cross section of the core wire is vertically long in the up-down direction, and (b) is a cross-sectional view of the same core wire in a horizontally long state in the left-right direction. [Figure 10] 1A is a plan view of a guidewire support mechanism according to a second embodiment of the present invention, which is also a plan view of the guidewire support mechanism when the transparent cover is closed, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of the guidewire mechanism taken along line CC when the transparent cover is closed. [Figure 11] 10(b) is an enlarged plan view of the area where the second groove portion branches off from the periphery in the plan view of FIG. 10(a). [Figure 12] 4 shows a plan view of a guidewire shaping device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] 13A is a plan view of the guide wire shaper shown in FIG. 12, and FIG. 13B is a right side view of the same. [Figure 14] A J-shaped guidewire is shown. [Figure 15] (a) shows a front view of the guide wire shaper, and (b) shows a rear view of the same. [Figure 16] 13 shows a plan view of the guidewire shaper with the slide portion removed. [Figure 17] (a) shows a left side view of the sliding part, and (b) shows a plan view of the same. [Figure 18] 13 shows a plan view of the guidewire shaper with the sliding portion positioned at the leftmost position. FIG. [Figure 19] (a) shows a plan view of the guidewire former with the sliding portion slightly slid to the right, (b) shows an enlarged plan view of the guidewire former in (a). [Figure 20] 1A is an enlarged plan view of the guidewire shaping tool with the slide portion and the holding portion omitted, and FIG. 1B is an enlarged plan view of the guidewire shaping tool with the tip of the guidewire returned to the exit portion. [Figure 21] (a) is a plan view of the holding part, (b) is a front view of the holding part, and (c) is a right side view of the holding part. [Figure 22] 1 shows a top view of the guidewire former with the guidewire being advanced into the entrance passageway; [Figure 23] 13 shows a plan view of the guidewire shaper with the guidewire further advanced so that its tip advances rearward through the shaper portion. [Figure 24] 1 shows a plan view of a guidewire shaper with the guidewire looping; [Diagram 25] 1 shows a plan view of a guidewire shaper in a folded-back state. [Figure 26] 13 shows a plan view of the guidewire shaper and guidewire support mechanism in a folded-back state of the guidewire. [Figure 27] 13 shows a plan view of a guidewire shaping device in a state in which the loop diameter of the guidewire remaining inside the shaping portion is gradually reduced. [Figure 28] 28 shows an enlarged plan view of the guidewire shaper of FIG. 27. [Figure 29] 29 shows an enlarged plan view of FIG. 28 with the holding portion and guide wire omitted. [Diagram 30] 13 is a plan view of the guidewire shaper with the sliding portion further slid and the guidewire further pulled out. FIG. [Diagram 31] 31 shows an enlarged plan view of the guidewire shaper of FIG. 30. [Diagram 32](a) The folded back portion of the guidewire is further curved. (b) The folded back portion of the guidewire is warped. [Diagram 33] 1 shows the guidewire shaper after the guidewire has been pulled out and shaping has been completed. [Diagram 34] 5 shows a flow diagram of a method for shaping a guidewire according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 35] 13 is a plan view of a guidewire supporting mechanism of a guidewire shaping device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Diagram 36] 13A shows a plan view of a guidewire shaping device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 13B shows a front view of the same guidewire shaping device. [Figure 37] 37A is a partial cross-sectional view of the guidewire shaping device taken along the line DD in FIG. 36, and FIG. 37B is a partial cross-sectional view taken along the line EE in FIG. [Figure 38] FIG. 37 shows a plan view of a guidewire shaping device according to a fifth embodiment, which is different from that of FIG. 36. [Figure 39] FIG. 37 shows a front view of a guidewire shaping device according to a fifth embodiment, which is different from that shown in FIG. 36. [Diagram 40] FIG. 15(b) shows a front view of a guidewire shaper according to a third embodiment, which is different from that shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0047] [First embodiment] A first embodiment of the present invention will be illustrated with reference to Figs. 1 to 9. In the plan view of Fig. 3(a), reference numeral 11 denotes a guidewire support mechanism. This guidewire support mechanism 11 has a groove, and the guidewires illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 can be supported by loosely fitting into the groove. The guidewire is indicated by the symbol W. In each figure, arrows U and D respectively indicate the upward and downward directions in the up-down direction of the guidewire support mechanism 11. In each figure, arrows L and R respectively indicate the leftward and rightward directions in the left-right direction of the guidewire support mechanism 11. Also, arrows F and B respectively indicate the forward and backward directions in the front-rear direction of the guidewire support mechanism 11.

[0048] The guidewire support mechanism 11 has a main body 12 and a rotor 13. The main body 12 is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped, and has a shape in which a rotor mounting space 12b is recessed into a top surface 12a so as to occupy a part of the substantially rectangular parallelepiped. That is, as shown in the AA cross-sectional view of Fig. 3(b) showing the AA cross-section indicated in Fig. 3(a), the main body 12 has a top surface 12a, and a rotor mounting space 12b is provided whose bottom surface is a flat surface lower than the top surface 12a. The rotor mounting space 12b has an inner peripheral surface 12c which is a part of a cylindrical surface with the axis C1 described below as the center line. The rotor 13 is mounted inside the rotor mounting space 12c.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 3(b), the rotor 13 is formed in a flat shape in the vertical direction, and has an upward end face 13a. Also, as shown in FIG. 3(a), the end face 13a is formed in a substantially fan shape with an arc-shaped periphery 13b in a plan view. The rotor 13 is attached to the main body 12 around the vertical axis C1. At this time, the top surface 12a of the main body 12 and the end face 13a of the rotor 13 are formed to be substantially flush with each other. And, since the radius from the axis C1 to the outer periphery 13c continuing downward from the arc-shaped periphery 13b is slightly smaller than the radius from the axis C1 to the inner periphery 12c, the outer periphery 13c slides against the inner periphery 12c, so that the rotor 13 can freely rotate with respect to the main body 12. Also, the rotor 13 can rotate around the axis C1 in both the clockwise and counterclockwise directions in FIG. 3(a).

[0050] The rotor 13 has a first groove 14 that opens upward along the periphery 13b. The first groove 14 is formed so that its width and depth are greater than the diameter of the guidewire W. Each figure shows a state in which the guidewire W is loosely fitted in the first groove 14. The rotor 13 also has a clamp 15 that can clamp the guidewire W in its radial direction. With this configuration, the guidewire support mechanism 11 can move the guidewire W as the rotor 13 rotates in a state in which the guidewire W is clamped by the clamp 15. For example, when the rotor 13 rotates counterclockwise in a plan view as shown by the imaginary line in FIG. 3(a), the tip T of the guidewire W can move backward as shown by the imaginary line. This allows a user of the guidewire support mechanism 11 to rotate the rotor 13 and feed the guidewire W, which is supplied from the left side of the guidewire support mechanism 11, backward from the guidewire support mechanism 11. The distal end T of the guidewire W thus delivered and its vicinity can be shaped by a hand-held shaping tool, a separately installed guidewire shaping device, or the like.

[0051] The main body 12 and the rotor 13 are made of synthetic resin, such as engineering plastics, such as polyacetal resin (POM). They may also be made of polyether ether ketone resin (PEEK) to provide chemical resistance for cleaning.

[0052] The guidewire support mechanism 11 may have a lid 16. FIG. 3(c) shows a state where the lid 16 is provided and the flat lid 16 covers the main body 12 and the rotating body 13 from above. The first groove 14 is also covered by the lid 16 from above. The lid 16 is attached to the main body 12 and the rotating body 13 so as to be freely opened and closed. For example, the lid 16 may be joined to the main body 12 by a hinge and rotate around the axis of the hinge. Since the top surface 12a of the main body 12 and the end surface 13a of the rotating body 13 are formed to be substantially flush with each other, the inner surface 16a of the lid 16 can simultaneously abut against the top surface 12a and the end surface 13a and be in close contact with them. Since the depth of the first groove 14 is formed to be larger than the diameter of the guidewire W, the inner surface 16a can abut against the top surface 12a and the end surface 13a without interfering with the guidewire W.

[0053] The lid 16 is made of a transparent synthetic resin such as polycarbonate (PC). As a result, even when the lid 16 is in a closed state as shown in Fig. 3(c), the rotation of the rotor 13, the state of the guidewire W being clamped by the clamp portion 15, the movement of the guidewire W, and the like can be observed from above the guidewire support mechanism 11. When the lid 16 is thus transparent, the guidewire support mechanism 11 in the closed state as viewed from above is as shown in Fig. 3(a).

[0054] Also, the cover 16 may be made of polyacetal resin (POM) or polyether ether ketone resin (PEEK) like the main body 12 and the rotating body 13. Since these resins are opaque, the guidewire support mechanism 11 viewed from above is shown in FIG.

[0055] In the example of FIG. 3(c), the rotor 13 is joined to a vertical columnar rotor shaft 17a arranged along the axis C1. In this case, the center line of the rotor shaft 17a coincides with the axis C1. The rotor shaft 17a also penetrates the main body 12 in the vertical direction. As a result, even when the guidewire support mechanism 11 has the cover 16 and the cover 16 is in a closed state, the rotor shaft 17a can be rotated in any direction by applying a rotational force below the main body 12. Therefore, even when the cover 16 is in a closed state, the rotor 13 can rotate both clockwise and counterclockwise around the axis C1.

[0056] FIG. 5 shows an enlarged cross section of the cross section of FIG. 3(c) showing the vicinity of the guidewire W. In FIG. 5, cross-sectional hatching is omitted to avoid cumbersome illustration. The first groove 14, which opens upward, is covered by the inner surface 16a of the cover 16 in the closed state. The first groove 14 and the inner surface 16a are formed to have dimensions such that there are gaps between the upper, lower, left and right peripheral surfaces of the guidewire W, which has a substantially circular cross section. Therefore, the guidewire W can be loosely fitted into the first groove 14.

[0057] The first groove portion 14 has a bottom wall 14a. The bottom wall 14a is an upwardly facing flat surface, and is formed by a step portion 13d that is one step lower and formed on the periphery 13b of the end face 13a. The first groove portion 14 also has an inner side wall 14b, which is the side wall on the side closer to the axis C1. In FIG. 5, the axis C1 is located to the left of the inner side wall 14b. The inner side wall 14b stands vertically upward from the step portion 13d. The first groove portion 14 also has an outer side wall 14c, which is the side wall on the side farther from the axis C1. The outer side wall 14c is formed vertically by a part of the inner circumferential surface 12c of the rotating body mounting space 12b.

[0058] Fig. 6(a) is a plan view of Fig. 3(a) rotated clockwise in a plan view so that the straight portion on the left side of the guidewire W faces approximately vertically in the figure. Fig. 6(b) is a cross-sectional view of the guidewire support mechanism 11 showing the BB cross section indicated in Fig. 6(a). The rotation axis 17a is omitted.

[0059] The groove of the guidewire support mechanism 11 is composed of the first groove 14 and the third groove 18 that is continuous with the first groove 14. As shown in the plan view of FIG. 6(a), the groove near the counterclockwise side about the axis C1 is the first groove 14, and the groove near the clockwise side is the third groove 18. The third groove 18 is continuous with the first groove 14 and extends radially inward of the rotor 13 at the end face 13a of the rotor 13. The extension of the third groove 18 causes the first groove 14 and the third groove 18 to be bent and continuous with each other. In this way, the first groove 14 is a part of the periphery 13b of the end face 13a. That is, the first groove 14 is formed along a portion of the entire periphery 13b closer to the counterclockwise side than the bent portion. Third groove 18 has a width and depth approximately equal to those of first groove 14, and is formed with dimensions sufficient to provide a gap between it and the periphery of guidewire W. In addition, in the case where guidewire support mechanism 11 has lid 16, lid 16 can cover third groove 18 from above in the closed state.

[0060] The guidewire W is loosely fitted into these grooves 14, 18. When the guidewire support mechanism 11 has the cover 16 and the cover 16 is in a closed state, the guidewire W can be inserted from the clockwise insertion opening 13e of the third groove 18. The tip T of the guidewire W can be inserted through the third groove 18 and then the first groove 14, in that order.

[0061] 6(a) and 6(b), the rotor 13 has a clamp portion mounting space 13f recessed in the end face 13a. This clamp portion mounting space 13f is provided on the end face 13a radially inward of the rotor 13 from the third groove portion 18, and is deeper than the diameter of the guidewire W and has a depth approximately equal to that of the third groove portion 18. The clamp portion 15 is mounted in the clamp portion mounting space 13f.

[0062] FIG. 7 shows an enlarged plan view of the clamp unit mounting space 13f of the rotor 13. The clamp unit 15 has a clamp plate 15a formed in a flat shape in the vertical direction. The clamp plate 15a is formed in a roughly half-open fan shape in a plan view. The clamp plate 15a can rotate about a pivot 15b provided parallel to the axis C1 of the rotor 13. The center line of the pivot 15b is called the axis center C2. The pivot 15b is disposed so that the axis center C2 is at the pivot position of the roughly half-open fan shape of the clamp plate 15a. In addition, since the height of the clamp plate 15a is lower than the height of the clamp unit mounting space 13f, even when the cover 16 is closed in the case where the guidewire support mechanism 11 has the cover 16, the clamp unit 15a does not interfere with the inner surface 16a of the cover 16.

[0063] The clamp plate 15a has a clamping portion 15c that protrudes in a counterclockwise direction in a plan view around the pivot 15b. The clamping portion 15c has a substantially planar clamping surface 15d at the tip in a counterclockwise direction in a plan view. Therefore, when the clamp plate 15a rotates in a counterclockwise direction in a plan view around the axis center C2, the clamping surface 15d rotates first. On the other hand, the third groove portion 18 has an inner side surface defect opening 18a that opens by the defect of its inner side surface. The inner side surface defect opening 18a is located on the trajectory of the rotation of the clamping portion 15c of the clamp plate 15a among the inner side surfaces of the third groove portion 18. The clamp portion mounting space 13f and the third groove portion 18 are connected through the inner side surface defect opening 18a.

[0064] When the clamp plate 15a rotates counterclockwise in a plan view, the clamping portion 15c passes through the inner side missing opening 18a, and can further rotate counterclockwise. At this time, the clamping surface 15d of the clamping portion 15c can enter the inside of the third groove portion 18 in the radial direction of the guide wire W. As a result, the clamping surface 15d abuts against the circumferential surface Ws of the guide wire W, and the clamp plate 15a can clamp the guide wire W between the clamping surface 15d and the outer side surface 18b of the third groove portion 18. When the rotating body 13 is rotated in this state, the guide wire W can be rotated around the axis C1 while the clamping portion 15 holds the guide wire W. FIG. 8 illustrates a state in which the entire guide wire W moves from the left to the right and from the bottom to the top of the figure when the rotating body 13 is rotated counterclockwise around the axis C1 while the guide wire W is held as shown in FIG. 7. At this time, since the rotation of the guidewire W about the axis C1 is not restricted by any configuration other than the clamp portion 15, the guidewire W can move to the rear of the guidewire support mechanism 11 without receiving resistance from the surroundings, or can move in the opposite direction.

[0065] The clamp unit 15 may have a biasing means formed of a compression coil spring 15d between the clamp plate 15a and the inner wall of the clamp unit installation space 13f. The compression coil spring 15d can rotate the clamp plate 15a counterclockwise by expanding. Therefore, the clamp plate 15a can be biased counterclockwise, and as a result, the clamp unit 15 can hold the guide wire W in a clamped state.

[0066] With the above configuration, guidewire support mechanism 11 has a structure in which guidewire W loosely fitted in grooves 14, 18 is clamped by clamp portion 15, while rotating grooves 14, 18 and clamp portion 15 together by rotor 13. In this manner, the entire guidewire W can be moved in conjunction with the rotation of rotor 13, while portions of guidewire W remain within grooves 14, 18. In this manner, when a user moves guidewire W, guidewire support mechanism 11 is unlikely to receive force from portions other than the clamp portions, and is less likely to deform unintended portions.

[0067] In addition, because the portion into which the guidewire W fits is a groove, by ceasing clamping by the clamp portion 15, the guidewire W can be removed from the groove and separated from the guidewire support mechanism 11. In this way, no unnecessary force is applied to the guidewire W, and therefore there is little possibility of unintended deformation of portions when the guidewire W is removed.

[0068] In addition, since the outer side wall 14c of the first groove portion 14 is formed by the inner peripheral surface 12c of the rotating body mounting space 12b of the main body 12, the guide wire W is released radially outward of the rotating body 13 at the 3 o'clock position centered on the axis C1, which is the point where the inner peripheral surface 12c leaves the arc-shaped peripheral edge 13b of the rotating body 13 in the entire inner peripheral surface 12c. The point where the inner peripheral surface 12c leaves the peripheral edge 13b is indicated by the symbol S in Figs. 3(a) and 8. The first groove portion 14 surrounded by the inner side wall 14b and the outer side wall 14c is formed in front of the point of symbol S. The tip T of the guide wire W released at the point of symbol S, which is the rear end of the first groove portion 14, can exit the peripheral edge 13b and proceed to the section where shaping is performed. Although not shown in Fig. 3(a), for example, it is possible to arrange the section where shaping is performed behind the main body 12. It is considered that the portion of the guidewire W near the tip T, which is shown by an imaginary line in the drawing, enters the section where shaping is performed. In this way, the guidewire support mechanism 11 does not deform the guidewire W until immediately before shaping is performed, and can advance the guidewire W into the shaping section with a simple structure.

[0069] Since the outer side wall 14c is the outer side wall of the first groove portion 14 along the arc, the guidewire W, which is originally formed in a substantially straight shape, is likely to slide along the outer side wall 14c and move inside the first groove portion 14 in an attempt to maintain its original straight shape. At this time, as shown in the example of FIG. 9(a), the guidewire W can easily bend along the arc shape of the first groove portion 14 by maintaining the vertically elongated posture of the cross section of the core wire C. This reduces the possibility of unnecessarily deforming the guidewire W. In FIG. 9(a) and FIG. 9(b) described next, cross-sectional hatching is omitted in areas other than the guidewire W to avoid cumbersome illustration. Even if the core guide C is initially in a horizontally elongated cross-sectional position as shown in the example of Fig. 9(b), the guide wire W advances while sliding against the outer side wall 14c of the first groove portion 14, and the guide wire W can be rotated 90° to the vertically elongated cross-sectional position as shown in Fig. 9(a) by the reaction force from the outer side wall 14c. This allows the guide wire support mechanism 11 to advance the guide wire W into the shaped section while correcting its position to a more appropriate position.

[0070] In addition, since the third groove portion 18 is located radially inward of the rotor 13 from the periphery 13b, the clamp portion 15 pinches the guidewire W between the outer side surface 18b, which is the inner wall of the third groove portion 18, and the guidewire W is not pinched between the inner peripheral surface 12c of the rotor mounting space 12b. As a result, friction is not generated between the guidewire W and the inner peripheral surface 12c due to the force transmitted from the clamp portion 15 to the guidewire W. In addition, such friction does not increase the load on the rotation of the rotor 13. Due to this structure, the guidewire W is not significantly damaged by friction. In addition, the guidewire W can be firmly clamped while maintaining a smooth rotational motion for moving the guidewire W. As a result, the possibility of deformation of unnecessary parts for moving the guidewire W can be reduced.

[0071] In addition, because clamp plate 15a is formed in a flat shape, it is possible to reduce the space required to clamp guidewire W in the direction of axis C. Furthermore, because clamp plate 15a rotates about axis C2 to clamp guidewire W, it is possible to move guidewire W with a simple structure.

[0072] Furthermore, when the guidewire support mechanism 11 has the cover 16, the grooves 14, 18 are covered by the inner surface 16a of the cover 16, so that when the cover 16 is in the closed state, it is possible to prevent the guidewire W from floating up or jumping out of the grooves 14, 18. Therefore, when the guidewire W is moved, there is a low possibility that the guidewire W will create waves or jump out and bend, and there is little risk of unintended deformation of parts.

[0073] Moreover, because the cover 16 can be opened and closed freely, when the cover 16 is in the open state, the guidewire W can be removed from the grooves 14, 18 and separated from the guidewire support mechanism 11. Thus, there is little possibility that unintended portions will be deformed when the guidewire W is removed.

[0074] Furthermore, the guidewire support mechanism 11 can both advance and retreat the tip T of the guidewire W by switching the rotation of the rotor 13 between clockwise and counterclockwise, i.e., by switching the forward and reverse rotation of the rotor 13. Therefore, the user can easily advance and retreat the tip T of the guidewire W to be shaped by simply switching the forward and reverse rotation according to convenience when shaping the guidewire W. Therefore, there is little risk of unintended deformation of parts due to unnecessary force being applied by fingers when handling the guidewire W.

[0075] [Second embodiment] A second embodiment of the present invention will be illustrated with reference to Figures 10 and 11. In the plan view of Figure 10(a), 21 is a guidewire support mechanism. Figure 10(b) is a cross-sectional view showing the CC section of the guidewire support mechanism 21 indicated in Figure 10(a). The guidewire support mechanism 21 has a main body 22 and a rotating body 23. The guidewire support mechanism 21 may have a cover body 26, and Figure 10(b) shows a state in which the cover body 26 covers the main body 22 and the rotating body 23 from above.

[0076] The main body 22 is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped, and has a shape in which a rotor mounting space 22b is recessed into a top surface 22a so as to occupy a part of the substantially rectangular parallelepiped. The rotor 23 is mounted inside the rotor mounting space 22b. The rotor 23 has an upward end surface 23a, and this end surface has an arc-shaped periphery 23b centered on the axis C1 in a plan view. The rotor 23 is also formed with a first groove 24 that opens upward along the periphery 23b. Furthermore, a third groove 28 that opens upward is recessed into the end surface 23a. The rotor 23 is provided with a clamp 25 that can clamp the guidewire W in the radial direction within the third groove 28.

[0077] The guidewire support mechanism 21 of this embodiment differs from the guidewire support mechanism 11 of the first embodiment in the following points, for example. First, the rotor mounting space is small. That is, the inner circumferential surface 22c of the rotor mounting space 22b in FIG. 10(a) extends from 3 o'clock to approximately 12 o'clock on a clock with the axis C1 as the center. As a result, the top surface 22a of the main body 22 expands in a region indicated by the reference symbol 22ax in the figure. Second, the main body 22 has a second groove portion 29 that is recessed in the top surface 22a including the expansion region 22ax and branches backward from the periphery 23b at the 3 o'clock position of the periphery 23b. At this time, the second groove portion 29 branches in a direction farther from the axis C1 than the first groove portion 24. The second groove portion 29 opens upward. In addition, the first groove portion 24 and the second groove portion 29 communicate with each other. Thirdly, when guidewire support mechanism 21 has cover 26, the rear end of second groove portion 29 forms advance / retract port 22d that opens to the rear side of main body 22 when cover 26 is in the closed state.

[0078] 11 is an enlarged plan view of the guidewire support mechanism 21, showing the vicinity of the portion where the second groove portion 29 branches off from the periphery 23b. In this branched portion, the front end of the extended top surface 22ax, which is a part of the top surface 22a and is its extended area, is formed in a teardrop shape. The second groove portion 29 extends backward from this branched portion to the first groove portion 24. The second groove portion 29 has a width and depth approximately equal to those of the first groove portion 24, a width sufficient to provide a gap between the left and right sides of the guidewire W, and a depth slightly greater than the diameter of the guidewire W.

[0079] The first groove portion 24 has an inner sidewall 24b which is a sidewall closer to the axis C1, and an outer sidewall 24c which is a sidewall farther from the axis C1. The second groove portion 29 has a left sidewall 29a which is a left sidewall, and a right sidewall 29b which is a right sidewall. The left sidewall 29a and the right sidewall 29b, together with a bottom wall connecting the lower ends of these sidewalls, form the inner wall of the second groove portion 29. The outer sidewall 14c of the first groove portion 24 and the right sidewall 29b of the second groove portion 29 are continuous in the front-rear direction at the branched portion.

[0080] Regarding the positions of the first to third grooves 24, 28, 29 in a plan view, the second groove 29 is formed so as to extend rearward from the counterclockwise tip of the first groove 24 as shown in Fig. 10(a). That is, the first groove 24 surrounded by the inner side wall 24b and the outer side wall 24c is formed forward of the location of the symbol S shown at the 3 o'clock position centered on the axis C1, and the second groove 29 surrounded by the left side wall 29a and the right side wall 29b is formed rearward of the location of the symbol S. The third groove 28 is formed so as to extend diagonally rearward to the left from the clockwise tip of the first groove 24.

[0081] The guidewire W is loosely fitted in the first to third grooves 24, 28, and 29. In a state where the guidewire W is clamped by the clamp portion 25, the guidewire W including the tip T moves inside the second groove 29 with the rotation of the rotor 23. For example, when the rotor 23 rotates counterclockwise in a plan view as shown by the imaginary lines in FIG. 10(a) or FIG. 11, the guidewire W can move backward as also shown by the imaginary lines. This allows the user of the guidewire support mechanism 21 to rotate the rotor 23 to feed the guidewire W backward from the advance / retract port 22d with the tip T at the front. In addition, by rotating the rotor 23 in the reverse direction, the guidewire W that was once fed can be pulled back forward again from the advance / retract port 22d. In this way, while the guidewire W is supported by the guidewire support mechanism 21, the tip T of the guidewire W that has been fed out and its vicinity can be shaped using a hand-held shaping tool, a separately installed guidewire shaping device, or the like.

[0082] 10(b), when the guidewire support mechanism 21 has the lid 26 that can cover the entire main body 22 in a plan view, the lid 26 can cover the second groove 29 from above in the closed state. In addition, since the depth of the second groove 29 is larger than the diameter of the guidewire W, the inner surface 26a of the lid 26 does not interfere with the guidewire W even when the lid 26 is in the closed state.

[0083] The other configurations are common to the first embodiment.

[0084] With the above configuration, the second groove 29 communicates continuously with the first groove 24, so that the guidewire W can move back and forth between the first groove 24 and the second groove 29. When the advance / retract port 22d communicates with the section that shapes the guidewire W, the tip T of the guidewire W can pass through the second groove 29 and advance to this section without getting caught. The same applies when the guidewire W retreats backward from this section.

[0085] At this time, the tip T of the guidewire W, which has been sliding along the outer sidewall 24c of the first groove 24 to maintain its original substantially straight shape, does not deviate to the left of the teardrop-shaped front end. Also, at this time, the second groove 29 branches backward from the branched portion, and the outer sidewall 24c of the first groove 24 and the outer sidewall 29b, which is the inner wall on the right side of the second groove 29, are continuous, so that the tip T of the guidewire W, which has been sliding along the outer sidewall 24c of the first groove 24 to maintain its original substantially straight shape, can enter the second groove 29 without passing through a gap or the like on the way. In this way, the guidewire support device 21 can suppress the force that the guidewire W inside it receives from the surroundings, and unintended deformation of parts is less likely to occur.

[0086] The guidewire W is loosely fitted in the third groove 28, which can be clamped by the clamp portion 25, the first groove 24 along the arc-shaped circumferential edge 23b, and the second groove 29 branching outward in the radial direction from the circumferential edge 23b. The rotation of the rotor 23 in the clamped state by the clamp portion 25 allows the tip T to advance through the second groove 29. The guidewire W can also move backward through the guidewire support mechanism 21.

[0087] [Third embodiment] The third embodiment of the present invention will be illustrated with reference to Figs. 12 to 34. In the plan view of Fig. 12, 3011 denotes a guidewire shaping device. The guidewire shaping device 3011 includes a guidewire support mechanism 31 and a guidewire shaper 311. In each drawing, arrows U and D respectively indicate upward and downward directions of the guidewire support mechanism 31, the guidewire shaper 311, and the guidewire shaping device 3011 in the up-down direction. In each drawing, arrows L and R respectively indicate leftward and rightward directions in the left-right direction. Moreover, arrows F and B respectively indicate forward and backward directions in the front-rear direction. As shown in Fig. 12, in the guidewire shaping device 3011, the guidewire shaper 311 is disposed behind the guidewire support mechanism 31. The center line Cp and its extension line CP' of the second groove portion 39 of the guidewire shaper 311 coincide with the center line CP and its extension line Cp' of an inlet passage portion 323 (described below) of the guidewire support mechanism 31. The center line Cp and its extension line Cp' are located in the front-rear direction. As a result, the guidewire W is stretched in the front-rear direction between the guidewire support mechanism 31 and the guidewire shaper 311.

[0088] The guidewire support mechanism 31 has a cover 36 on the upper side of the main body 32. The cover 36 is made of a transparent synthetic resin such as polycarbonate. Therefore, even when the cover 36 is in the closed state, the configuration on the main body 32 and the configuration on the rotor 33 are shown in a plan view as shown in FIG.

[0089] Unless otherwise specified, the configuration of the guidewire support mechanism 31 in this embodiment is common to the configuration of the guidewire support mechanism 21 in the second embodiment.

[0090] In FIG. 13, 311 denotes a guidewire shaper. This guidewire shaper 311 is the guidewire exemplified in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, and is used to shape the guidewire W supported by the guidewire support mechanism 31 into a so-called J-shape as shown in FIG. 14. The guidewire shaper 311 has a shaper body 313 shown in a plan view in FIG. 13(a). This shaper body 313 is divided in the vertical direction as shown in the right side view in FIG. 13(b), and is composed of a first body part 314 arranged on the lower side and a second body part 315 arranged on the upper side. A first division surface 314a which is a division surface of the first body part 314 and a second division surface 315a which is a division surface of the second body part 315 are approximately horizontal surfaces. The first body part 314 is formed of a synthetic resin such as polyether ether ketone (PEEK) having properties such as high impact resistance, wear resistance, heat resistance, and dimensional accuracy. The second main body 315 is made of a highly transparent synthetic resin such as an acrylic resin. Since the second main body 315 is transparent and can be seen through from the top, the structure on the first divided surface 314a is represented by solid lines in the plan view.

[0091] The first body portion 314 and the second body portion 315 are joined by hinges or bolts and nuts. Therefore, the first divided surface 314a and the second divided surface 315a can be freely overlapped or separated by opening and closing the hinges or attaching and detaching the bolts and nuts.

[0092] The guidewire shaper 311 includes a slide portion 316 and a holding portion 317. The slide portion 316 is formed in a shape combining a substantially trapezoidal columnar solid that is flat in the vertical direction and a substantially rectangular solid that has a longitudinal direction in the left-right direction and is flat in the vertical direction, and a part of the left side is fitted into a groove recessed in the first division surface 314a. The holding portion 317 is formed in a substantially rectangular columnar shape that has a longitudinal direction in the vertical direction, and a part of the lower side is fitted into a hole 315b that penetrates the second main body portion 315 in the vertical direction. The slide portion 316 and the holding portion 317 may be made of synthetic resin like the first main body portion 314, but may be made of metal to provide better impact resistance, wear resistance, heat resistance, dimensional accuracy, etc. For example, they may be made of titanium.

[0093] FIG. 15(a) shows a front view of the guidewire shaping tool 311, and FIG. 15(b) shows a rear view of the same. FIG. 16 shows a plan view with the slide part 316 removed. The first main body part 314 has a groove-shaped rail part 321 that is provided in the left-right direction and into which a part of the left side of the slide part 316 is fitted. The rail part 321 is recessed downward in the first divided surface 314a as shown in FIG. 15(a) and (b), and has a front side wall 321a, a rear side wall 321a, and an upward bottom wall 321b as shown in FIG. 16. These side walls 321a and bottom wall 321b have surface directions in the left-right direction. The rail part 321 has a flat shape in the vertical direction, and the depth in the vertical direction is greater than the depth of the shaping part 325.

[0094] On the other hand, as shown in the left side view of Fig. 17(a) and the plan view of Fig. 17(b), the slide portion 316 has a front surface 316a and a back surface 316a in the left-right and up-down directions, and a bottom surface 316b in the front-rear and left-right directions. The front surface 316a and the back surface 316a of the slide portion 316 contact the front and rear side walls 321a, 321a, and the bottom surface 316b contacts the bottom wall 321b, and the slide portion 316 can slide in the left-right direction by sliding on the rail portion 321. The height of the slide portion 316 in the up-down direction is approximately the same as the depth of the rail portion 321 in the up-down direction.

[0095] FIG. 18 is a plan view showing a state where the slide portion 316 is positioned at the leftmost position, and omits the display of the holding portion 317 for ease of viewing. The first main body portion 314 has an opening 322 recessed from the front toward the back as shown in FIGS. 13(a) and (b). The opening 322 forms a semi-cone-shaped space with a vertex facing the back. The tip of the guide wire W is inserted into this opening 322. Then, an entrance passage portion 323, which is a substantially columnar space in the front-rear direction, is formed so as to communicate with the opening 322. The entrance passage portion 323 is recessed downward in the first divided surface 314a. Then, as shown in FIG. 18, the entrance passage portion 323 has an exit portion 324, which is the part located at the backmost position as viewed from the opening 322. That is, the exit portion 324 is located at the rearmost position of the entrance passage portion 323.

[0096] Next, the first main body portion 314 has a shaping portion 325 that communicates with the inlet passage portion 323 and spreads rearward from the outlet portion 324. The shaping portion 325 is recessed downward in the first divided surface 314a, similar to the inlet passage portion 323. The shaping portion 325 forms a flat space in the vertical direction as shown by hidden lines on the front and back sides of Figures 15(a) and (b). The shaping portion 325 has a substantially annular inner wall 325a that forms its inner periphery.

[0097] Here, the extension line Cp' of the center line Cp of the inlet passage portion 323 intersects with the inner wall 325a. The portion of the inner wall 325a where the extension line Cp' intersects with the center line Cp is called the extension line intersection 326. The extension line Cp' does not intersect with the inner wall 325a at a right angle, but intersects with the inner wall 325a at the extension line intersection 326. As shown in FIG. 18, the extension line Cp' forms an obtuse angle with the inner wall 325a on the left side of the extension line intersection 326. At the same time, the extension line Cp' forms an acute angle with the inner wall 325a on the right side of the extension line intersection 326. In the example of FIG. 18, the extension line Cp' intersects with the inner wall 325a at the extension line intersection 326 at an angle of 129.0°. Among these inner walls 325a, the inner wall 325a extending from the outlet 324 through the left side to the extension line intersection portion 326 and intersecting with the extension line Cp' at an obtuse angle is referred to as the obtuse angle side inner wall portion 327. Moreover, the inner wall 325a extending from the outlet 324 through the right side to the extension line intersection portion 326 and intersecting with the extension line Cp' at an acute angle is referred to as the acute angle side inner wall portion 328.

[0098] The acute angle side inner wall portion 328 has a shape that bulges to the right, that is, in a direction away from the extension line Cp', as shown by the thick arrow in FIG.

[0099] Incidentally, the sliding portion 316 has a left end portion 331 that protrudes leftward as shown in FIG. 17(b). The left end portion 331 is disposed in an upper portion of the sliding portion 316 in terms of the thickness in the vertical direction as shown in FIG. 17(a). The front side surface of the left end portion 331 is called a stopping surface 331a. When the sliding portion 316 is positioned at the leftmost position as shown in FIG. 18, the left end portion 331 intersects with the center line Cp, and the guide wire W that enters the entrance passage portion 323 backward through the opening 322 is prevented from entering further by the stopping surface 331a. In contrast, FIG. 19(a) shows a state in which the sliding portion 316 is slid slightly to the right. In this state, the left side surface 331b of the left end portion 331 is continuous from the front to the rear with the right end surface of the inner wall of the entrance passage portion 323 in the portion forward of the exit portion 324, or is located slightly to the right of the entrance passage portion 323, so that the guide wire W is not prevented from entering by the stopping surface 331a. This state is called the open state of the entrance passage portion 323. The sliding portion 316 can be moved left and right by gripping the portion protruding from the right side surface of the shaping tool main body 313 even when the lid 315 is closed.

[0100] A left side surface 331b of the left end portion 331 constitutes an acute-angle side outlet opposing portion described below.

[0101] 19(b) is an enlarged plan view in an open state, showing holding portion 317 by imaginary lines. In this figure, a left side surface 331b of left end portion 331 is continuous in the front-rear direction with a right end surface 323a of the inner wall of inlet passage portion 323 in a portion forward of outlet portion 324.

[0102] FIG. 20(a) is an enlarged plan view of the vicinity of the exit portion 324, with the slide portion 316 and the holding portion 317 omitted. The exit portion 324 has a width in the left-right direction that allows a guide wire W (not shown in this figure) to be placed twice in the front and back. This exit portion 324 is composed of an obtuse-angle side exit portion 332, which is one side portion having a substantially linear inner wall 332a continuing with the obtuse-angle side inner wall portion 327, and an acute-angle side exit portion 333, which is one side portion opposite to the obtuse-angle side exit portion 332. The acute-angle side exit portion 333 is continuous with the acute-angle side inner wall portion 328. In this manner, the obtuse-angle side exit portion 332 is arranged on the left side, and the acute-angle side exit portion 333 is arranged on the right side.

[0103] The obtuse angle side outlet portion 332 has a front end closed by a closing portion 332b. On the other hand, the acute angle side outlet portion 333 is provided at a position where the inlet passage portion 323 is extended rearward, and its front end communicates with the inlet passage portion 323.

[0104] FIG. 20(b) shows a state in which the guidewire W enters the entrance passage portion 323 backward and proceeds while bending counterclockwise inside the shaping portion 325, and then the tip T returns to the exit portion 324. At this time, since the acute angle side exit 333 is occupied by the guidewire W on the right side, the tip T enters the obtuse angle side exit portion 332 and is then stopped backward by the blocking portion 332b. In this way, since the exit portion 324 has the obtuse angle side exit portion 332 on the left side and the acute angle side exit portion 333 on the right side, the guidewire W can be arranged in two positions, front and back. Of the two guidewires W on the left and right in FIG. 20(b), the guidewire W that returns to the left exit portion 324 is called the left guidewire Wl and is arranged inside the obtuse angle side exit portion 332. The tip T forms a part of the left guidewire Wl. The other guide wire W on the right side is called the right guide wire Wr, and the right guide wire Wr passes through the acute angle side exit portion 333 on the left and right.

[0105] 21(a), (b), and (c) respectively show a plan view, a front view, and a right side view of holding portion 317. A part of the lower side of holding portion 317 is fitted into hole 315b of second main body portion 315. Holding portion 317 also has a lower end portion 334 that protrudes downward. In plan view, lower end portion 334 has a depth that is approximately half the length of holding portion 317 in the front-to-rear direction and is located toward the front, and has a width that is approximately half the length of holding portion 317 in the left-to-right direction and is located toward the right. Furthermore, lower end portion 334 is formed with an inclined left side surface so that the width becomes smaller toward the bottom.

[0106] The lower end 334 has a recessed portion 335 formed in a partial cylindrical shape in the front-rear direction on the bottom surface. This recessed portion 335 can push the tip T and the guide wire W in its vicinity downward from above by the holding portion 317, which is represented by an imaginary line in the plan view of FIG. 20(b), descending along the hole 315b. At this time, the tip T and the guide wire W in its vicinity are supported from below by the first main body portion 314, which corresponds to the bottom wall of the obtuse-angle side outlet portion 332, so that the tip T and the guide wire W in its vicinity are pressed against the shaping tool main body 313 and held by the lower end 334. The holding portion 317 can be moved in the vertical direction by gripping the portion protruding from the upper surface of the second main body portion 315 even when the lid 315 is closed.

[0107] However, because the recessed portion 335 is narrow in the front-rear direction, the holding portion 317 can push downward only the left guidewire Wl disposed inside the obtuse angle side exit portion 332, and does not push the right guidewire Wr. Therefore, while the left guidewire Wl remains in the obtuse angle side exit portion 332, the right guidewire Wr can move freely in the front-rear direction within the acute angle side exit portion 333.

[0108] In addition, the extension line C' may intersect with the inner wall 25a at an angle other than 129.0° as shown in each figure, and may intersect at an angle of about 129.0° as long as the tip T slides along the obtuse-angle side inner wall portion 326 without getting caught as the guidewire W is advanced.

[0109] In FIG. 12, the guidewire W, which is configured to be stretched between the guidewire support mechanism 31 and the guidewire shaper 311 and move back and forth, is represented by an imaginary line. In the guidewire shaping device 3011, the guidewire support mechanism 31 and the guidewire shaper 311 are arranged so that the guidewire W, which is fed backward from the guidewire support mechanism 31 or fed forward relative to the guidewire support mechanism 31, can enter or exit the guidewire shaper 311 in a stretched state in the forward and backward direction. As described above, the center line Cp and its extension line Cp' of the second groove portion 39 coincide with the center line Cp and its extension line Cp' of the entrance passage portion 323. The second groove portion 39 and the advance / retract port 32d of the guidewire support mechanism 31 and the opening 322 and entrance passage portion 323 of the guidewire shaper 311 are arranged in a substantially straight line on these center lines Cp and extension lines Cp'. To maintain such an arrangement, for example, the guidewire support mechanism 31 and the guidewire shaper 311 are fixed on a common mount.

[0110] Like the extension line Cp' of the center line Cp of the inlet passage portion 323, the extension line Cp' of this second groove portion 39 forms an obtuse angle with the inner wall 325a on the left side of the extension line intersection portion 326, and also forms an acute angle with the inner wall 325a on the right side of the extension line intersection portion 326. The inner wall 325a extending from the outlet portion 324 through the left side to the extension line intersection portion 326 and intersecting with the extension line Cp' at an obtuse angle is the obtuse angle side inner wall portion 327, and the inner wall 325a extending from the outlet portion 324 through the right side to the extension line intersection portion 326 and intersecting with the extension line Cp' at an acute angle is the acute angle side inner wall portion 328.

[0111] The other configurations are common to the second embodiment.

[0112] In the following, the guidewire shaping method S100 from when a user uses guidewire shaping device 3011 of the present invention to fold back tip T of guidewire W and shape the tip into a J-shape is shown in order using the plan views and enlarged plan views of Fig. 22 to 31 and Fig. 33. In these figures, holding portion 317 is shown by imaginary lines, and structures that are normally hidden by holding portion 317 when viewed from above are also shown by solid lines. Guidewire shaping method S100 is also shown by the flow diagram of Fig. 34.

[0113] In the guidewire shaping method S100, a step of preparing the guidewire shaping device 3011 including the guidewire shaping tool 311 and the guidewire shaping mechanism 311 is called a preparation step S110. In the preparation step S110, the user rotates the rotor 33 in the most clockwise direction in the figure with the cover 36 of the guidewire shaping mechanism 31 open, and loosely fits the guidewire W into each of the grooves 34, 38, and 39. Then, the clamp plate 35a is rotated in the counterclockwise direction to clamp the guidewire W in the third groove 38. After this, the cover 36 is closed. Meanwhile, the first and second main body parts 314 and 315 of the guidewire shaping tool 311 are joined together. FIG. 22 shows a state in which the first main body part 314 and the second main body part 315 are joined together in the vertical direction.

[0114] After joining these first and second main body portions 314, 315, the rotating body 33 of the guidewire shaping mechanism 311 is rotated counterclockwise in a planar view, and the tip T of the guidewire W sent out from the advance / retract port 32d is caused to enter the entrance passage portion 323 through the opening 322.

[0115] Also, instead of joining the first and second main body parts 314 and 315 in advance, the guidewire W may be fitted from above into the entrance passage part 322 recessed in the first divided surface 314a of the first main body part 314 before joining. In this case, the guidewire W may be fitted into the entrance passage part 322 of the guidewire shaper 311 at the stage of loosely fitting the guidewire W into each groove part 34, 38, and 39 of the guidewire shaping mechanism 31. However, the guidewire W needs to be fitted after adjusting the posture of the guidewire W so that the longitudinal direction of the cross section of the core wire C and the vertical direction of the guidewire shaper 311 are substantially the same. This is because if the longitudinal direction does not match the vertical direction, the guidewire W is difficult to bend in the direction of travel later. Then, the first main body part 314 and the second main body part 315 are joined. In each of the main body portions 314, 315, the first divided surface 314a and the second divided surface 315a are in close contact with each other, so that when the guidewire W is shaped, the guidewire W can be guided in a correct direction.

[0116] FIG. 22 shows a state in which the rotor 33 is being rotated to feed the guidewire W to the right into the entrance passage 23. The direction of entry of the guidewire W is indicated by an arrow. In this figure, the slide portion 316 has moved to the leftmost position on the rail portion 321, as in FIG. 18. Therefore, the tip T cannot proceed to the right beyond the stopping surface 331a of the slide portion 316. After the preparation step S110 up to this point, the step until the tip T hits the blocking portion 332b and is stopped as shown in FIG. 25 described later is called the feeding step S120. In this feeding step S120, the holding portion 317 is raised, and the lower end portion 334 does not touch the guidewire W.

[0117] FIG. 23 shows a state where the user slides the slide portion 316 slightly to the right to open the entrance passage portion 323 as shown in FIG. 19(a)(b). In this state, the guidewire W can be fed further backward, and the tip T passes through the acute angle side exit portion 333 and advances backward in the shaping portion 325. The raised holding portion 317 does not impede the advancement of the guidewire W. Then, the tip T advances almost along the extension line Cp' and abuts on the vicinity of the extension line intersection portion 326. The angle between the guidewire W and the inner wall 325a when the tip T abuts on the vicinity of the extension line intersection portion 326 is almost the same as the angle between the extension line Cp' and the inner wall 325a. In this example, the angle between the guidewire W and the obtuse angle side inner wall portion 327 is 129.0°, which is an obtuse angle. The present inventor found that when the guidewire W abuts on the obtuse angle side inner wall portion 327, the guidewire W naturally advances while bending to the side that forms an obtuse angle with the advancement direction. As a result, the tip T comes into contact with the vicinity of the extension line intersection portion 326, and then bends counterclockwise in the drawing and slides along the obtuse-angle side inner wall portion 327. Then, the guidewire W in the shaping portion 325 bends so that the entire guidewire W is disposed in a circular shape.

[0118] 22 shows an example in which the sliding portion 316 is initially positioned at the leftmost position, but the sliding portion 316 may be positioned slightly to the right from the beginning, so that the inlet passage portion 323 is open. In that case, the user can advance the tip T into the shaping portion 325 from the beginning without sliding the sliding portion 316.

[0119] Here, the present inventors have intensively studied and found that when the tip T of the inserted guidewire W hits the vicinity of the extension line intersection 326 and slides along the obtuse angle side inner wall portion 327 while bending toward the obtuse angle side, even if the flat core wire C inside the guidewire W has a longitudinal direction of its cross section substantially identical to the left-right direction of the guidewire shaper 311 and is in a position as shown in FIG. 2(a), the guidewire W rotates 90° around its central axis, leading to the completion of the present invention. As a result of this rotation, the longitudinal direction of the cross section of the core wire C becomes substantially identical to the up-down direction of the guidewire shaper 311, so that the guidewire W is easily bent. In addition, the present inventors have found that even if the longitudinal direction of the cross section of the core wire C is not identical to the left-right direction of the guidewire shaper 311 and forms an angle of less than 90°, the guidewire W rotates by an angle of less than 90°. As a result of this rotation, the longitudinal direction of the cross section of the core wire C and the up-down direction of the guide wire shaper 311 similarly become substantially the same, so that the guide wire W is easier to bend than before the rotation.

[0120] In this way, regardless of the direction of the core wire C inside the guidewire W when it is inserted into the guidewire shaping tool 311, the guidewire W can change its posture so as to be easily bent by hitting the vicinity of the extension line intersection part 326 and sliding along the obtuse angle side inner wall part 327. Therefore, the guidewire shaping device 3011 can obtain uniform ease of shaping the guidewire W and uniform shaping quality.

[0121] 24 shows a state in which the user continues to feed the guidewire W backward, and the tip T slides counterclockwise along the obtuse-angle-side inner wall portion 327, while the guidewire W as a whole describes a loop shape within the shaping portion 325. The acute-angle-side inner wall portion 328, which is located on the opposite side of the obtuse-angle-side inner wall portion 327 with respect to the extension line Cp', has a shape that bulges to the right, that is, away from the extension line Cp'.

[0122] Therefore, the portion of the guidewire W connected to the tip T can be curved so as to approach or come into contact with the acute-angle side inner wall portion 328. As a result, compared to when the portion connected to the tip T is not curved, the tip T can slide smoothly while forming a shallower angle with respect to the wall surface direction of the obtuse-angle side inner wall portion 327. Therefore, the guidewire W can rotate about its central axis more easily and can be shaped more efficiently. In this way, the guidewire shaping device 3011 can achieve uniform ease of shaping the guidewire W and uniform shaping quality.

[0123] Fig. 25 shows a state in which the user continues to feed the guidewire W, and the guidewire W bends counterclockwise in a large loop in the shaping section 325, and the tip T turns back while changing direction from left to front. As a result, the tip T returns to the exit section 324. Then, as in Fig. 20(b), the tip T enters the obtuse-angle side exit section 332 and then hits the blocking section 332b and is stopped. Fig. 26 shows an example in which the guidewire W turns back in the guidewire shaping tool 311 and the tip T reaches the closing side section 332b as a result of the rotor 33 of the guidewire shaping mechanism 311 rotating counterclockwise while the guidewire W is being clamped.

[0124] 25, after the tip T is stopped by the blocking portion 332b, the user lowers the holding portion 317 with his / her fingers and presses the concave portion 335 downward against the guidewire W, thereby holding the guidewire W between the lower end portion 334 of the holding portion 317 and the first main body portion 314. In this manner, the process from the start of lowering the holding portion 317 to the completion of shaping the guidewire W as shown in FIG. 33, which will be described later, is called a pulling-out process S130.

[0125] In this drawing step S130, the left guidewire Wl including the tip T of the guidewire W and its vicinity is pressed downward and held by the holding part 317. In this state, the user rotates the rotor 33 of the guidewire shaping mechanism 311 clockwise in a plan view to pull the guidewire W forward and move it forward through the entrance passage part 323. As a result, a part of the guidewire W arranged in a ring shape inside the shaping part 325 is discharged from the shaping part 325 through the acute-angle side exit part 333 as shown in FIG. 25. At this time, the right guidewire Wr is not pressed and can freely move forward. The remaining part of the guidewire W remaining inside the shaping part 325 is shaped so that the ring diameter becomes smaller as the ring circumference becomes smaller.

[0126] In this way, the user of the guidewire shaping tool 311 first feeds the guidewire W, and after the tip T of the guidewire slides along the obtuse-angle side inner wall portion 327 and reaches the exit portion 324, the user reversely pulls out the guidewire W partially from the shaping portion 325. Then, the ring diameter of the guidewire W inside the shaping portion 325 is reduced, so that the guidewire W can be shaped into a ring. At this time, the holding portion 317 holds the left guidewire Wl, so that the position of the tip T can be reliably fixed, and the left guidewire Wl is held at the obtuse-angle side exit portion 332 on one side, so that the right guidewire Wr on the side to be pulled out can be passed through the acute-angle side exit portion 333 on the other side. Therefore, the ring diameter of the guidewire W can be reduced more efficiently to perform shaping processing.

[0127] Furthermore, the user starts to pull out the guide wire W from the shaping portion 325, and at the same time, pushes the sliding portion 316 rightward with his / her finger to slide the rail portion 321 to the right.

[0128] FIG. 27 shows a state in which the ring diameter of the remaining part of the guidewire W remaining inside the shaping part 325 is gradually reduced. FIG. 28 is an enlarged plan view of the exit part 324 and the annular part of the guidewire W in FIG. 27. The obtuse angle side exit facing part 341, which is the right-facing inner wall of the obtuse angle side exit 332, and the acute angle side exit facing part 342, which is the left-facing inner wall of the acute angle side exit 333, face each other in the left-right direction. A part of the acute angle side inner wall part 328 adjacent to the acute angle side exit facing part 342 is called the acute angle side exit adjacent part 343. The acute angle side exit adjacent part 343 forms a slope that is located to the right as it approaches the rear. The acute angle side exit facing part 342 and the acute angle side exit adjacent part 343 constitute a part of the slide 316. That is, slide 316 including acute angle side outlet facing portion 342 and acute angle side outlet adjacent portion 343 is nested in first main body portion 314. Fig. 29 is a diagram in which holding portion 317 and guidewire W are not shown in order to make obtuse angle side outlet facing portion 341 and acute angle side outlet facing portion 342 easier to see.

[0129] 27 and 28, by sliding the slide portion 316 to the right, the acute angle side outlet facing portion 342 and the acute angle side outlet adjacent portion 343 move rightward by the distance of the slide. As a result, the interval between the obtuse angle side outlet facing portion 341 and the acute angle side outlet facing portion 342 increases in the left-right direction, and the interval between the obtuse angle side inner wall portion 327 and the acute angle side outlet adjacent portion 343 increases in the left-right direction. Therefore, the right guidewire Wr is located to the right, compared to when the acute angle side outlet facing portion 342 and the acute angle side outlet adjacent portion 343 do not move rightward. In this way, the annular portion of the guidewire W can expand, and its curvature is larger than when it does not move.

[0130] Figure 30 shows a state in which the user pulls out the guidewire W further forward than in the state shown in Figures 27 and 28, and pushes the slide portion 316 rightward to slide the rail portion 321 further. Figure 31 is an enlarged plan view of the vicinity of the outlet portion 324 and the annular portion of the guidewire W in Figure 30, similar to Figure 28. As described above, in the pull-out process S130, the step of widening the gap between the obtuse angle side outlet facing portion 341 and the acute angle side outlet facing portion 342 and the gap between the obtuse angle side inner wall portion 327 and the acute angle side outlet adjacent portion 343 is called an expansion step S131.

[0131] In this way, by sliding the sliding portion 316 further to the right, the acute angle side outlet facing portion 342 and the acute angle side outlet adjacent portion 343 move further rightward by the longer sliding distance. This causes the gap between the obtuse angle side outlet facing portion 341 and the acute angle side outlet facing portion 342 to further increase in the left-right direction, and also causes the gap between the obtuse angle side inner wall portion 327 and the acute angle side outlet adjacent portion 343 to further increase in the left-right direction. Therefore, the curvature of the annular portion of the guidewire W is even greater than if there was no movement.

[0132] Incidentally, when the guidewire W is folded back into a J-shape, if the force applied to bend the guidewire W at the time of folding back is too large, the stress in a specific direction remaining after the plastic deformation is large. This may result in a state in which the folded back portion is bent like a drooping neck after the guidewire W is removed from the guidewire shaper 311 in the removal process described later. That is, the guidewire W is shaped by folding back the tip T along the obtuse angle side inner wall portion 327 while bending toward the obtuse angle side, and the folded back portion is further bent in the folded back direction. An example of such a state in which the folded back portion is further bent is shown in FIG. 32(a). The state in which the stress in a specific direction due to the plastic deformation remains excessively is also called a "squeezed" state.

[0133] In particular, when the annular diameter of the guidewire W is reduced and shaped, if the distance between the obtuse-angle side outlet facing portion 341 and the acute-angle side outlet facing portion 342 and the distance between the obtuse-angle side inner wall portion 327 and the acute-angle side inner wall portion 328 are narrow, the curvature of the annular portion of the guidewire W being fed is small. Therefore, the guidewire W is subjected to strong bending when fed in such a state of small curvature. As a result, the folded-back portion of the guidewire tends to be unnecessarily bent upward as shown in FIG. 32(a).

[0134] In contrast, the guidewire shaper 311 of the present invention slides the slide portion 316 to widen the gap between the obtuse-angle side outlet facing portion 341 and the acute-angle side outlet facing portion 342 which is a part of the slide portion 316, and the gap between the obtuse-angle side inner wall portion 327 and the acute-angle side outlet adjacent portion 343 which is a part of the slide portion 316, thereby shaping the guidewire W in the advanced state to draw a gentle curve, and as a result, the curvature of the folded-back portion can be increased. This makes it possible to ease the strain applied to the guidewire W, and to prevent the folded-back portion from being bent in a drooping manner as shown in Figure 32(a).

[0135] In addition, in the guidewire shaping tool 311 of the present invention, the sliding portion 316 can slide along the rail portion 321, so that the distance between them can be freely changed. This allows the curvature of the folded-back portion to be adjusted, and the degree of bending or warping of the folded-back portion can be adjusted appropriately according to the user's desire. The warping here refers to a state in which the folded-back portion of the guidewire is warped downward in the figure, as shown in the example of FIG. 32(b). This warping occurs when the guidewire W is pulled and sucked from the shaping portion 325 into the inlet passage portion 323, and is bent outward in a circular shape opposite to the inside of the shaping portion 325. This portion is illustrated by the symbol N in FIG. 31. As described above, the guidewire shaping tool 31 of the present invention can be more easily shaped into a desired shape.

[0136] FIG. 33 shows a state where the shaping of the guidewire W is completed after the guidewire W has been pulled out. The process leading to this state is the pulling out process S130. After the shaping is completed, the operator raises the holding part 317 to stop holding the guidewire W by pressing it against the guidewire W. Then, the operator releases the connection between the first body part 314 and the second body part 315 by opening the hinges, removing the bolts and nuts, etc. This exposes the first divided surface 314a, and the operator removes the shaped guidewire W from the guidewire shaper 311. At the same time, the operator opens the cover 36 of the guidewire shaping mechanism 31, rotates the clamp plate 35a clockwise to release the clamped state by the clamp part 35, and then lifts the guidewire W from each of the grooves 34, 38, and 39. This allows the guidewire W to be removed from the guidewire support mechanism 31. Thus, the process from raising the holding portion 317 after the pulling-out step S130 until removing the guide wire W from the guide wire shaping device 3011 is called a removing step S140.

[0137] In this way, in the guidewire shaping tool 311, the shaping tool main body 313 is divided into the first main body portion 314 and the second main body portion 315, which can be freely joined and released, so that the user can easily remove the shaped guidewire W from the guidewire shaping tool 311. Then, in order to next shape another guidewire W, the main body portions 314, 315 can be joined together again. Also, not only for removing the guidewire W, but also when cleaning, maintenance, etc., of the entrance passage portion 323, the shaping portion 325, etc. are performed, the divided surfaces 314a, 315a can be exposed so as to be separated from each other, making it easy to work.

[0138] [Fourth embodiment] The fourth embodiment of the present invention is illustrated with reference to FIG. 35. In the front view of FIG. 35, 41 is a guidewire support mechanism. This guidewire support mechanism 41 is a guidewire support mechanism provided in a guidewire shaping device 4011 according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. Unless otherwise specified, the configuration of the guidewire shaping device 4011 including the guidewire support mechanism 41 and the guidewire shaper 411 is common to the configuration of the guidewire shaping device 3011 in the third embodiment. The guidewire support mechanism 41 has a main body 42 and a cover body 46 that can cover the upper side of the main body 42. The main body 42 is composed of a first main body 42A corresponding to the main body 12 according to the first embodiment, the main body 22 according to the second embodiment, or the main body 32 according to the third embodiment, and a rectangular parallelepiped second main body 42B that is formed integrally with the first main body 42A and is disposed below the first main body 42A. A rotor mounting space 42b is provided in the first body 42A, and the rotor 43 is mounted inside the rotor mounting space 42b. The first body 42A and the second body 42B may be formed separately and used in a state of being joined vertically.

[0139] The rotating body 43 is joined to a vertical columnar rotating shaft 47a arranged along the axis C1. The rotating shaft 47a penetrates the first body 42A in the vertical direction. The rotating shaft 47a also constitutes a part of the driving unit 47. The driving unit 47 is housed inside the second body 42B. In addition to the rotating shaft 47a, the driving unit 47 has a driving device 47b that can rotate the rotating shaft 47a clockwise or counterclockwise in a plan view around the axis C1. The driving device 47b includes an electric motor and a control means that can control the stopping or rotation, forward or reverse rotation, etc. of the electric motor. The control means may also control the rotation speed of the electric motor.

[0140] The other configurations are common to the first, second and third embodiments.

[0141] With this configuration, the guidewire support mechanism 41 can stop, rotate, and rotate forward or backward the movement of the guidewire W including the tip T without manual operation by the user by stopping or rotating and rotating forward or backward the drive device 47b. Therefore, the guidewire support mechanism 41 allows the user to easily perform the work of shaping the guidewire W. In addition, the series of operations for shaping the guidewire W can be automated by automatically operating the drive unit 47.

[0142] Although not shown, guidewire shaping device 4011 may have a drive device for moving slide portion 416 of guidewire shaping tool 411 in the left-right direction and for raising and lowering holding portion 417, and may also have a control means for controlling these. With this, operations such as planned rotation of rotor 43 in both forward and reverse directions, movement of slide portion 416 in both left and right directions, and vertical movement of holding portion 416 in the preparation step S110 to the removal step S140 may be performed, and may be automatically controlled.

[0143] Further, a drive and control means for rotating the clamp plate 45a in both forward and reverse directions may be provided.

[0144] 35 shows an example in which second body 42B is provided as part of body 42 of guidewire support mechanism 41, but second body 42B does not have to be contained only inside guidewire support mechanism 41. For example, the entire guidewire shaping device 4011 may be laid out so that a drive device is incorporated into a common stand for guidewire support mechanism 41 and guidewire shaping tool 411, and the drive device moves rotating shaft 47a, etc.

[0145] [Fifth embodiment] The fifth embodiment of the present invention will be illustrated with reference to Figs. 36 to 39. In Figs. 36(a) and 36(b), 5011 is a guidewire shaping device. The guidewire shaping device 5011 has a configuration in which the guidewire support mechanism and the guidewire shaper in the guidewire shaping device according to the third and fourth embodiments are connected in the front-rear direction and integrally. The configuration corresponding to the second groove of the guidewire support mechanism in the guidewire shaping device according to the third and fourth embodiments and the configuration corresponding to the entrance passage of the guidewire shaper are integrated, and this entire configuration is referred to as the second groove in this embodiment and is indicated by the reference numeral 59 in the drawings. In addition, by integrating these, the guidewire W passes through the inside of the second groove from the first groove to the shaping portion without providing the entrance / retract port and the opening in the guidewire shaping device according to the third and fourth embodiments. The second groove 59 has an exit portion 524 located at the innermost position as viewed from the first groove 54. That is, the outlet portion 524 is located at the rearmost portion of the second groove portion 59 .

[0146] The guidewire shaping device 5011 has a main body 52 and a rotating body 53, and also has a lid 56 that covers the main body 52 and the rotating body 53 from above. Since the lid 56 is made of a transparent resin, the plan view of FIG. 36(a) shows the lid 56 in a closed state and the configuration of the lower side of the lid 56 is visible in the plan view. The lid 56 can be freely opened and closed by lifting it up and down, rotating it so that one side is lifted, etc. Then, when the lid 56 is in an open state, the main body 52 and the rotating body 53 can be exposed upward. Note that the lid 56 of the guidewire shaping device 5011 may be opaque as long as the user can move and shape the guidewire W with high accuracy without visually checking it from above.

[0147] The main body 52 is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped, and has a shape in which a rotor mounting space 52b is recessed into a top surface 52a so as to occupy a part of the substantially rectangular parallelepiped. The rotor 53 is mounted inside the rotor mounting space 52b. The rotor 53 has an upward end surface 53a, and this end surface has an arc-shaped periphery 53b centered on the axis C1 in a plan view. The rotor 53 is also formed with a first groove 54 that opens upward along the periphery 53b. Furthermore, a third groove 58 that opens upward is recessed into the end surface 53a. The rotor 53 is provided with a clamp portion 55 that can clamp the guidewire W in the radial direction within the third groove 58.

[0148] The main body 52 has a second groove 59 that is recessed in the top surface 52a so as to open upward, and branches backward from the periphery 53b at the 3 o'clock position of the periphery 53b centered on the axis C1. A shaping portion 525, which is a flat space that opens upward, is recessed in the top surface 52a of the main body 52 so as to be continuous with the rear end of the second groove 59. The second groove 59 and the shaping portion 525 are connected to each other. The third groove 58, the first groove 54, the second groove 59, and the shaping portion 525 are connected to each other in this order, so that one guide wire W is placed in these grooves and shaping portions 54, 58, 59, and 525. The guide wire W can move forward and backward through the second groove 59 and the shaping portion 525 by rotating or reversing the rotation of the rotor 53 while the guide wire W is clamped by the clamp 55.

[0149] The center line Cp of the second groove portion 59 has an extension Cp' that intersects with the inner wall 525a of the shaping portion 525. The inner wall 525a at the intersection is called the extension intersection 526. The extension Cp' does not intersect with the inner wall 525a at a right angle at the extension intersection 526, but intersects with the inner wall 525a at an obtuse angle. The extension Cp' forms an obtuse angle with the inner wall 525a on the left side of the extension intersection 526. At the same time, the extension Cp' forms an acute angle with the inner wall 525a on the right side of the extension intersection 526. Among these inner walls 525a, the inner wall 525a that extends from the outlet portion 524 through the left side to the extension intersection 526 and intersects with the extension Cp' at an obtuse angle is called the obtuse angle inner wall 527. Further, the inner wall 525a extending from the outlet 524 through the right side to the extension line intersecting portion 526 and intersecting with the extension line Cp' at an acute angle is referred to as an acute angle side inner wall portion 328.

[0150] FIG. 36(b) shows a front view of the guidewire shaping device 5011. The main body 52 extends from the front end to the rear end of the guidewire shaping device 5011, and its rear portion corresponds to the first main body of the guidewire shaping tool in the third and fourth embodiments. The rear portion of the top surface 52a of the main body 52 corresponds to the first divided surface of the guidewire shaping tool in the third and fourth embodiments. The cover 56 extends from the front end to the rear end of the guidewire shaping device 5011, and its rear portion corresponds to the second main body of the guidewire shaping tool in the third and fourth embodiments. The rear portion of the inner surface 56a of the cover 56 corresponds to the second divided surface of the guidewire shaping tool in the third and fourth embodiments. The top surface 52a and the inner surface 56a are formed in the horizontal direction, and are in close contact with each other in the vertical direction when the cover 56 is closed. In addition, when the lid 56 is in the closed state, it can cover the rotating body device space 52b, the rotating body 53, the shaping portion 525, etc. from above.

[0151] Fig. 37(a) shows a partial view of the DD cross section indicated in Fig. 36(a). This view shows a part of the cross section of the shaped portion 525, which is a flattened cavity. Fig. 37(b) shows a partial view of the EE cross section indicated in Fig. 36(a). This view shows the cross section of the second groove portion 59. Since the depths of the shaped portion 525 and the second groove portion 59 are each larger than the diameter of the guidewire W, the inner surface 56a of the cover body 56 does not interfere with the guidewire W.

[0152] Since the lid 56 covers not only the grooves 54, 58, and 59 but also the shaping portion 525, in the preparation step S110, by closing the lid 56, it is possible to simultaneously seal off the grooves and the shaping portions 54, 58, 59, and 525. In addition, in the removal step S140, by opening the lid 56 and releasing the clamped state by the clamp portion 55, it is possible to lift the entire guidewire W from the grooves and the shaping portions 54, 58, 59, and 525.

[0153] The other configurations are common to the guidewire supporting mechanisms according to the first to fourth embodiments and the guidewire shaping devices according to the third and fourth embodiments.

[0154] With the above configuration, the guidewire shaping device 5011 has a structure in which the guidewire W loosely fitted in the grooves 54, 58, and 59 is clamped by the clamp 55, while the clamp 55, the first groove 54, and the third groove 58 are rotated by the rotor 53. In this way, the guidewire W is retained within the grooves 54, 58, and 59 and within the shaping section 525, and the entire guidewire W, a portion of which is clamped by the clamp 55, can be moved and shaped with the rotation of the rotor. As a result, the guidewire shaping device 5011 is less likely to deform an unintended portion when the user shapes the guidewire W in the shaping section 525.

[0155] In addition, since the portion where the guidewire W is retained is the groove portions 54, 58, 59 recessed in the top surface 52a or the shaping portion 525, by ceasing the clamping by the clamp portion 55, the guidewire W can be removed from the groove portions 54, 58, 59 and the shaping portion 525 and can be detached from the guidewire shaping device 5011. Therefore, there is little possibility that unintended portions will be deformed when the shaped guidewire W is removed.

[0156] Also, the second groove portion 59 branches out from the peripheral edge 53b of the rotor 53. Therefore, the guide wire W can move back and forth between the first groove portion 54 and the second groove portion 59. Then, the guide wire W can move back and forth without getting caught through the second groove portion 59 until it reaches the shaping portion 525 that communicates with the second groove portion 59.

[0157] At this time, the tip T of the guidewire W, which has been sliding along the outer sidewall 54c of the first groove 54 in an attempt to maintain its original substantially straight shape, is unlikely to deviate to the left of the teardrop-shaped front end. Also, at this time, the second groove 59 branches out radially outward and the outer sidewall 54c of the first groove 54 and the right sidewall 59b, which is the inner wall of the second groove 59, are continuous, so that the tip of the guidewire, which has been sliding along the outer sidewall 54c of the first groove 54 in an attempt to maintain its original straight shape, can enter the second groove 59 without passing through a gap or the like on the way. In this way, the guidewire shaping device 5011 can suppress the force that the guidewire W inside it receives from the surroundings, and unintended deformation of parts is unlikely to occur.

[0158] The plan view of FIG. 38 and the front view of FIG. 39 illustrate different forms of the guidewire shaping device 5011. The slide 516 of the guidewire shaping device 5011 shown in FIG. 38 and FIG. 39 is not in a form in which a part of its right side projects rightward from the right side surface of the main body 52 as in the form illustrated in FIG. 36, but is in a form in which the entire slide 516 fits inside the top surface 52a in a plan view. The holding portion 517 is not in a form in which a part of its upper side projects upward from the upper surface of the lid body 56 as in the form illustrated in FIG. 13(b), but is in a form in which the entire holding portion 517 fits inside the main body 52 and the lid body 56. In this case, a cavity may be provided in a part of the lid body 56, and a part of the holding portion 517 may be accommodated in the cavity. The holding portion 517 does not have to be formed in a substantially square prism shape as a whole, and may be formed in a substantially cylindrical shape, for example, as long as a concave portion formed in a partially cylindrical shape in the front-rear direction can be arranged.

[0159] The main body 52 shown in FIG. 39 has a plurality of built-in drivers 57b, 57c, and 57d. The first driver 57b rotates the rotating body 53 via the rotating shaft 57a. The second driver 57c moves the slide 516 in the left-right direction. The third driver 57d moves the holding part 517 in the up-down direction. These rotary shafts and drivers 57a to 57d constitute a part of the driving part 57. The driving part 57 is also provided with a control means. These allow the electric motor to be stopped or rotated, and to rotate forward or backward. Even when the slide 516 is accommodated inside the top surface 52a and the lid 56 is closed, the slide 516 can be moved in the left-right direction by using the driving device 57c. Even when the holding part 517 is accommodated inside the main body 52 and the lid 56 and the lid 56 is closed, the holding part 517 can be moved in the up-down direction by using the driving device 57d. Furthermore, the user can perform operations and controls for stopping, advancing, retracting, deforming, etc., of the guide wire W without relying on the user's manual intervention.

[0160] With the above configuration, it is possible to automatically operate the guidewire shaping device 5011. It is also possible to automate a series of operations for shaping the guidewire W.

[0161] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above as examples, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0162] For example, the material of the first main body of the guidewire shaping tool or the main body and rotor of the guidewire support mechanism or guidewire shaping device may be polyetheretherketone, polyacetal resin, or other engineering plastics, or may be a synthetic resin other than engineering plastics as long as it has the necessary chemical resistance, strength, dimensional accuracy, etc. Also, the material of the second main body of the guidewire shaping tool or the cover of the guidewire support mechanism or guidewire shaping device may be acrylic resin, polycarbonate, or other transparent synthetic resin, or may be an opaque synthetic resin when observation from above is not required for operation.

[0163] Furthermore, if necessary, the guidewire shaping tool, the guidewire support mechanism, and a part of the guidewire shaping device may be made of metal, that is, parts other than the slide portion and the holding portion described above may also be made of metal.

[0164] In addition, the second main body portion of the guidewire shaping tool or the cover body of the guidewire support mechanism or guidewire shaping device may not only be joined to the first main body portion or main body, respectively, by hinges or bolts and nuts, but may also be joined by other attachment means as long as the second main body portion or cover body can be lifted as necessary.

[0165] Furthermore, the biasing means for the clamp plates does not have to be a compression coil spring, and may be a spring such as a tension spring or a torsion spring as long as it can maintain the clamped state of the guide wire. Furthermore, instead of biasing the clamp plates, the clamped state of the guide wire may be maintained by, for example, rotating the clamp plates by the operation of an electromagnet.

[0166] The guidewire may be clamped by means other than a clamp plate that rotates about an axis parallel to the axis of the rotor, for example, by being clamped between a holding member that can move up and down and the rotor. In such a case, it is not necessary to provide a third groove for holding the guidewire, and for example, the holding member may hold the guidewire at a portion that is loosely fitted in the first groove. In such a case, the first groove may be formed along the entire periphery of the rotor without providing a third groove in the rotor.

[0167] In the above example, the holding part is inserted downward from the upper side of the guidewire shaping tool or the guidewire shaping device, but the holding part may be inserted upward from the lower side of the guidewire shaping tool as long as it does not interfere with other components. Then, in the preparation step S110, a first main body part and a second main body part or a main body and a cover body, and a holding part that match this may be prepared. FIG. 40 shows a front view of a guidewire shaping tool 311' of a different aspect, instead of the guidewire shaping tool 311 according to the third embodiment. In this guidewire shaping tool 311', a part of the upper side of the holding part 317' is inserted into a hole 314b' that penetrates the first main body part 314' in the vertical direction. This holding part 317' can push the tip T and the guidewire W in the vicinity of it upward from the lower side by rising along the hole 314b'. At this time, the tip T and the guidewire W in its vicinity are supported from above by the second main body portion 315', and are therefore pressed against the main body and held by the holding portion 317'.

[0168] Furthermore, when the guidewire support mechanism or guidewire shaping device is equipped with a drive unit, the electric motor or control means does not have to be housed in the main body, and may be installed, for example, outside the main body, as long as the power of the electric motor can be properly transmitted to the rotating shaft and the electric motor can be properly remotely controlled.

[0169] Furthermore, when the guidewire support mechanism or the guidewire shaping device is equipped with a drive device, the drive device may have a power source other than an electric motor, and may be, for example, an actuator driven by air pressure, as long as it can provide the necessary rotational force to the rotating body.

[0170] Furthermore, if there is no risk of the guidewire creating waves or protruding and bending when moving or shaping the guidewire, the guidewire support mechanism, guidewire shaping tool or guidewire shaping device does not need to have a cover body or first main body portion.

[0171] Furthermore, in the withdrawal step S130, even after passing through the state of Fig. 33, the reciprocating movement by sliding the sliding part may be repeated, or the feeding and withdrawal of the guidewire W may be repeated, or both may be performed. At this time, the left end part of the sliding part can push the folded part of the guidewire W to the left, and the user can finely adjust the shape as desired by gradually deforming this folded part. Furthermore, the operation and control for these adjustments are performed by the driving part and the control means, and may be performed semi-automatically or automatically.

[0172] Furthermore, the shaping portion of the guidewire shaping device may be formed into a shape other than that shown in the figures to suit the user's preference, the way the guidewire is bent during shaping, and the like. [Industrial Applicability]

[0173] The present invention can be utilized in a guidewire support mechanism, a guidewire shaping device, or a guidewire shaping method used in shaping a guidewire, which is a flexible wire-like device for facilitating the insertion and placement of a catheter introducer or the like into a blood vessel. [Explanation of symbols]

[0174] 11, 21, 31, 41 Guidewire support mechanism 12,22,32,42,52 Main unit 12a, 22a, 52a Top 12b, 22b, 42b, 52b Rotating body installation space 13,23,33,43,53 Rotating body 13a,23a,53a End face 13b, 23b, 53b Periphery 14, 24, 34, 54 First groove 14b,24b Inner side wall 14c,24c Outer side wall 15,25,35,55 Clamp section 15a, 35a Clamp plate 16,26,36,46,56 Lid 17a, 47a, 57a Rotation axis 18,28,38,58 Third Groove 29,39,59 Second groove 29a Left side wall 29b Right side wall 42A First Body 42B Second Body 47,57 Drive unit 311,311´ Guidewire attachment 313 Shaper body 314,314´ First body part 314a First division surface 314b´ hole 315,315´ Second body part 315a Second division surface 315b hole 316 Slide section 316a side 316b Bottom 317,317´ Holding part 321 Rail section 321a side wall 321b Bottom wall 322 Opening 323 Entrance passage 324 Exit section 325 Shaped part 325a interior wall 326 Extension Line Intersection 327 Obtuse angle inner wall 328 Inner wall on acute angle side 331 Rear end 331a Stopping surface 331b back 332 Obtuse side exit part 332a interior wall 332b Occlusion 333 Acute angle side outlet 334 Lower end 335 Concave part 341 Obtuse side exit opposing part 342 Acute angle side outlet facing part 343 Acute angle side outlet adjacent part 3011, 4011, 5011 Guidewire shaping device S100 Guidewire shaping method S110 Preparation process S120 Feeding process S130 Pull-out process S131 Extended Step S140 Removal process C Core Guide Cp Center line of second groove, center line of inlet passage Cp´: Extension of the center line of the second groove, extension of the center line of the inlet passage T tip W Guidewire Wl Left guidewire Wr Right guidewire Ws circumferential surface

Claims

1. A guidewire support mechanism having a groove into which a guidewire can be loosely fitted and capable of supporting the guidewire, a main body having a rotor mounting space recessed in a top surface; and a rotor having an end face that is substantially flush with the top surface, rotatably attached to the rotor mounting space, the end face having an arc-shaped periphery centered on the axis of the attachment, the first groove portion being formed in the end face along a part or all of the periphery, and having a clamp portion capable of clamping a part of the guide wire; The tip of the guide wire moves with the rotation of the rotor about the axis. A guidewire support mechanism comprising:

2. The first groove portion has a bottom wall, an inner side wall which is a side wall closer to the axis, and an outer side wall which is a side wall farther from the axis, the bottom wall being formed by a step portion which is one step lower and formed on the periphery, the inner side wall being erected from the step portion, and the outer side wall being formed by the inner circumferential surface of the rotating body mounting space.

2. The guidewire support mechanism of claim 1.

3. The main body has a second groove portion that is recessed in the top surface and branches outward from the periphery in the radial direction of the rotor, and the first groove portion and the second groove portion are in communication with each other, the outer sidewall is continuous with the inner wall of the second groove; A portion of the guide wire loosely fitted in the first groove portion moves in the second groove portion in accordance with the rotation of the rotating body.

3. The guidewire support mechanism of claim 2.

4. the rotor has a third groove portion that extends radially inward from the first groove portion on the opposite side to the second groove portion and communicates with the first groove portion; The clamp portion is formed in a flat shape in the axial direction of the rotating body and can rotate around a pivot axis parallel to the axis center, The guide wire is clamped between a clamping surface of the rotating clamp portion and an inner wall of the third groove portion opposed to the clamping surface.

4. The guidewire support mechanism of claim 3.

5. a cover that can be opened and closed to cover at least a part of the top surface and the end surface, including the grooves; The lid is configured so that an inner surface of the lid covers each of the grooves.

5. The guidewire support mechanism of claim 4.

6. The rotor can rotate forward and backward, The tip of the guide wire can advance and retreat in accordance with the forward or reverse rotation of the rotor.

6. The guide wire support mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the guide wire support mechanism is a guide wire support member.

7. A drive unit is provided. The rotating body that can be rotated by the driving device can rotate forward and backward, The tip of the guide wire can advance and retreat in accordance with the forward or reverse rotation of the rotor.

6. The guide wire support mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the guide wire support mechanism is a guide wire support member.

8. A guidewire shaping device having a groove portion into which a guidewire is loosely fitted and a shaping portion which is a flat space, the guidewire shaping device being configured such that a tip of the guidewire which has passed through the groove portion enters the shaping portion which communicates with the groove portion and follows an inner surface of the shaping portion to shape the guidewire, a main body having a top surface on which the shaping portion and a rotor mounting space are recessed; and a rotor having an end surface that is substantially flush with the top surface, rotatably attached to the rotor mounting space, having an arc-shaped periphery centered on the axis of the rotor, a first groove portion formed in the end surface along a part or all of the periphery and communicating with the shaping portion, and having a clamp portion capable of clamping a part of the guide wire, The guide wire advances and retreats relative to the shaping portion as the rotor rotates about the axis. A guidewire shaping device comprising:

9. The main body has a second groove portion that is recessed in the top surface and branches outward from the periphery in the radial direction of the rotor, and the first groove portion and the second groove portion are in communication with each other, an outer side wall which is an inner side surface of the rotating body mounting space and is a side surface of the first groove portion farther from the axis center is continuous with an inner wall of the second groove portion; A part of the guide wire loosely fitted in the first groove portion moves in the second groove portion in accordance with the rotation of the rotor, and the tip portion enters the shaping portion communicating with the second groove portion.

9. A guidewire shaping device as claimed in claim 8.

10. A drive unit is provided. The rotating body that can be rotated by the driving device can rotate forward and backward, The tip of the guide wire can advance and retreat in accordance with the forward or reverse rotation of the rotor.

10. A guidewire shaping device according to claim 8 or 9.

11. A guidewire support mechanism according to claim 1, the guidewire support mechanism includes an entrance passage portion which is a generally columnar space through which a tip end of a guidewire supported by the guidewire support mechanism is inserted and through which the guidewire passes; a shaping portion which is a space which communicates with the entrance passage portion through an exit portion which is an innermost portion of the entrance passage portion and which spreads flat from the exit portion; an annular inner wall which forms an inner circumferential portion of the shaping portion; an extension line intersection portion which is an inner wall that intersects with an extension line of a center line of the entrance passage portion at an obtuse angle; an obtuse angle side inner wall portion which is an inner wall that extends from the exit portion to the extension line intersection portion and which forms an obtuse angle with the extension line; and an acute angle side inner wall portion which is an inner wall that extends from the exit portion to the extension line intersection portion and which forms an acute angle with the extension line, The guide wire is provided with a guide wire shaper configured such that, as the guide wire is fed through the opening, the tip of the guide wire, which is inserted successively through the inlet passage portion and the shaping portion, comes into contact with the vicinity of the intersection portion of the extension lines, and when the tip comes into contact with the extension line intersection portion, the tip bends toward the obtuse angle side and slides along the obtuse angle side inner wall portion, so that the entire guide wire is disposed in a circular shape. A guidewire shaping device comprising:

12. a second groove portion which is a substantially columnar space through which the guide wire passes and which communicates with the first groove portion; the shaping portion communicating with the second groove portion through an outlet portion that is the deepest portion of the second groove portion and spreading out flat from the outlet portion; An annular inner wall forming an inner circumferential portion of the shaping portion; an extension line intersection portion which is an inner wall intersecting an extension line of a center line of the second groove portion at an obtuse angle among the inner walls; an obtuse angle side inner wall portion which is an inner wall extending from the outlet portion to the extension line intersection portion and which forms an obtuse angle with the extension line; the inner wall includes an acute angle side inner wall portion which is an inner wall extending from the outlet portion to the extension line intersection portion and which is an inner wall on a side forming an acute angle with the extension line, The guide wire is configured so that the tip, which is inserted through the second groove portion and the shaped portion in order, comes into contact with the vicinity of the intersection portion of the extension lines, and when this contact occurs, the tip bends toward the obtuse angle side and slides along the obtuse angle side inner wall portion, so that the entire guide wire is disposed in a circular shape.

9. A guidewire shaping device as claimed in claim 8.

13. 9. The guidewire shaping device according to claim 8, comprising: a second groove portion which is a substantially columnar space through which the guidewire passes and which communicates with the first groove portion; the shaping portion which communicates with the second groove portion through an exit portion which is an innermost portion of the second groove portion and which spreads out flat from the exit portion; an annular inner wall which forms an inner circumferential portion of the shaping portion; an extension line intersection portion which is an inner wall that intersects with an extension line of a center line of the second groove portion at an obtuse angle; an obtuse angle side inner wall portion which is an inner wall that extends from the exit portion to the extension line intersection portion and which forms an obtuse angle with the extension line; and an acute angle side inner wall portion which is an inner wall that extends from the exit portion to the extension line intersection portion and which forms an acute angle with the extension line; and a feeding step of feeding the guide wire so that the tip of the guide wire, which is inserted in sequence through the second groove portion and the shaped portion, abuts against the vicinity of the extension line intersection portion, and at this abutment, the guide wire bends toward the obtuse angle side and slides along the obtuse angle side inner wall portion, thereby being arranged in a ring shape as a whole. A method for shaping a guidewire.

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